Erythrocyte survival in normal subjects from Quito

Abstract

With the ascorbic acid method for the determination of blood volumes and erythrocyte survival, by means of Cr51, the values found in normal subjects residing in Quito (2,818 meters above sea level) were: Blood Volume Total (77-55 e c./kg.), Total Plasma Volume (46-33 cc./kg.), Total Red Cell Volume (33-22 cc./kg.), and the erythrocyte half-life (25-34 days). It should be noted that in 60% of the cases, the total erythrocyte volume was slightly higher (x = 31.5 ce/kg.) than the upper limit of normality reported by other authors. The reported results, therefore, are practically the same as the values found in normal subjects residing in places of lower altitude than Quito.