Abstract

This study introduces a quantitative analysis of the coefficients of the power law model, which is used to describe the non-Newtonian behavior of blood. Twenty blood samples from healthy donors were used to measure the whole blood viscosity under different values of the shear rates, which are between 2.25 and 450.0 s^-1. The shear rate viscosity curves were used to calculate n (flow index) and m (the consistency of the fluid) according to the power law model. Strong correlations (R² > 0.5) between m and the hematocrit (HCT %), hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocytes count (RBC), mean corpuscle volume (MCV), and mean corpuscle hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were obtained. Strong correlations (R² > 0.5) between n and the RBC, MCV, and MCHC were achieved. The relation obtained between the power law coefficients and the blood parameters in the present investigation provides new parameters that can be used to evaluate the flow state of blood besides blood viscosity. In addition, these parameters may be used to examine blood under pathological conditions, representing a new tool for the diagnosis of blood abnormal conditions.

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