Footstrike is the major cause of hemolysis during running

Abstract

There is a wide body of literature reporting red cell hemolysis as occurring after various forms of exercise. Whereas the trauma associated with footstrike is thought to be the major cause of hemolysis after running, its significance compared with hemolysis that results from other circulatory stresses on the red blood cell has not been thoroughly addressed. To investigate the significance of footstrike, we measured the degree of hemolysis after 1 h of running. To control for the potential effects of oxidative and circulatory stresses on the red blood cell, the same subjects cycled for 1 h at equivalent oxygen uptake. Our subjects were 10 male triathletes, who each completed two separate 1-h sessions of running and cycling at 75% peak oxygen uptake, which were performed in random order 1 wk apart. Plasma free hemoglobin and serum haptoglobin concentrations were measured as indicators of hemolysis. We also measured methemoglobin as a percentage of total hemoglobin immediately postexercise as an indicator of red cell oxidative stress. Plasma free hemoglobin increased after both running ( P < 0.01) and cycling ( P < 0.01), but the increase was fourfold greater after running ( P < 0.01). This was reflected by a significant fall in haptoglobin 1 h after the running trials, whereas no significant changes occurred after cycling at any sample point. Methemoglobin increased twofold after both running and cycling ( P < 0.01), with no significant differences between modes of exercise. The present data indicate that, whereas general circulatory trauma to the red blood cells associated with 1 h of exercise at 75% maximal oxygen uptake may result in some exercise-induced hemolysis, footstrike is the major contributor to hemolysis during running.

Increased hemolysis from saline pre-washing RBCs or centrifugal pumps in neonatal ECMO

“…Neonatal plasma FHb was followed for 1 week after being on ECMO, because it is a reliable measure of the degree of hemolysis. 5,6 Our findings that peak FHb was significantly lower in the unwashed blood group compared with the washed cohort during the first 3 days of ECMO, and that this difference disappeared on the 4th-7th day on ECMO, may have been due to the liver clearing the plasma of the excess FHb released by the washed cells. Therefore, using unwashed blood for ECMO may remove a subsequent added burden for the liver caused by transfused erythrocyte hemolysis.…”

Effect of impulse vibration on red blood cells in vitro

“…As a result, intravascular hemolysis is thought to occur. Telford et al (16) have recently shown that foot strikes are the major contributor to hemolysis during running. In some workplaces, likewise, workers often hit their hands and palms repeatedly against hard objects via hand-transmitted vibratory tools.…”

Effects of endurance exercise on the urinary proteome analyzed by 2‐D PAGE and Orbitrap MS

“…Therefore, the appearance of hemopexin in urine may indicate hemolysis during long-distance running. This degradation of erythrocytes is typical for endurance sports and especially longdistance running, which is explained by mechanical stress in the capillaries of the feet during running or oxidative and osmotic stress [22]. Furthermore, it was shown that changes in membrane proteins cause an increase in hemolysis [23].…”