J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 79(2): 126-135, 1978

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Original article

PREOPERATIVE AND POSTOPERATIVE METABOLISM OF RED BLOOD CELLS IN THE AGED RELATED TO THEIR OXYGEN TRANSPORT

Since the aged are easily developing hypoxia postoperatively, numerous studies on pulmonary or circulatory systems in the aged have been undertaken. Despite the close relation to the oxygen transport, however, the red blood cell function has scarcely been studied in the aged in view of postoperative care.
Preoperative levels of 2, 3-DPG, ATP, met -Hb, P₅₀ and the glycolytic enzymatic activities in the red blood cells were higher in the aged than those in the middle aged, while PaO₂ was lower in the aged than in the middle aged. These results might suggest that enzymatic activities were higher in order to maintain the high 2, 3-DPG, ATP and P₅₀, and to transport much oxygen to the tissue in the aged.
On the other hand, the postoperative decrease of 2, 3-DPG, ATP and P₅₀, and the increase of met-Hb and lactate in the blood were observed. Despite the same operative procedures and same quantity of stored tran sfused blood, the larger and longer depression of red blood cell function showed that the aged were influenced more severely by the surgical stress than the middle aged
Therefore, the tissue hypoxia of the aged due to the accelerated red blood cell dysfunction manifested that the too excess surgical procedures should be avoided as much as possible.

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