Denaturation of Protein by in Vacuo Drawing of Blood

In two experimental series dog blood was drawn under high vacuum and by gravity into glass flasks containing heparin sodium solution as anticoagulant. After centrifugation various tests were applied to detect possible changes in the proteins of the supernatant plasma. These tests included viscosity measurement, protein solubility determination, and paper electrophoresis. The results obtained by viscosity measurement and paper electrophoresis demonstrate that drawing of blood into high vacuum and the foaming that occurs therewith results in measurable denaturation of plasma proteins. The precise clinical significance of this finding is uncertain, but it seems logical to assume that denaturation of plasma proteins may be undesirable.