The Oxygen Dissociation Curve in Anemia Of Various Types1

Abstract

Observations on the O2 dissociation curve in 29 cases of anemia are presented in detail. In 10 of 11 cases of megaloblastic anemia in relapse and in 9 of 10 cases of hypochromlc and secondary anemia there was a displacement of the O2 dissociation curve to the right. No shift to the right was present in 3 cases of hemolytic anemia, in cases of megaloblastic anemia in therapeutic remission, or in 1 of 2 cases of aplastic anemia. From direct determination of the cell pH, using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, the authors conclude that the major part of the curve displacement is due to a reduction in ceil pH relative to plasma pH.