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© 1991 Oxford University Press

research-article

Impaired Splenic Function in Elderly People

H. S. MARKUS and P. J. TOGHILL

Department of Medicine, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham NG7 2UH

Address correspondence to: Dr H. S. Markus, c/o Professor Harrison's secretary, Middlesex Hospital, Mortimer Street, London W1N 8AA

Splenic function was assessed in subjects aged 70 years or over by counting pits in erythrocytes viewed under differential interference contrast microscopy. An increased percentage of pitted cells has previously been described after splenectomy and in medical hyposplenism. The mean percentage of erythrocytes with one or more pits was significantly higher in 40 elderly patients (3.4%) than in 40 younger patients (1.6%), confirming the results of a previous study on a Brazilian population. There was greater variability of splenic function in the elderly subjects with a subgroup with a greatly increased percentage of pitted erythrocytes. Impaired splenic function may predispose elderly patients to pneumococcal infection. This relationship deserves further study.

Received November 15, 1990;
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