The Susceptibility to Autoxidation of Human Red Cell Lipids in Health and Disease

Abstract

S ummary . The susceptibility of human red cells to autoxidation was measured (i) in various groups of normal subjects, (ii) in haemolytic states, and (iii) in non‐haemolytic disease. Many types of haemolytic disease—notably thalassaemia major and autoimmune haemlytic anaemia—were associated with a greatly and persistently increased susceptibility of the red cell lipids to autoxidation. In two patients with haemolytic disease this was the only biochemical abnormality found. Susceptibility to autoxidation is about three times higher in the newborn period than it is in adult life; and there is a comparatively wide scatter in old age.