Left ventricular geometry and rheological properties of erythrocytes in patients at cardiovascular disease risk

Abstract

The relationship between erythrocyte deformability and aggregability with left ventricular mass index has been examined in patients diagnosed with at least one cardiovascular risk factor but without ongoing coronary heart disease. The group consisted of 66 individuals, 30 men and 36 women, of the average age 57.7 years. For each patient, deformability and aggregability of red blood cells (RBCs) as well as end-diastolic left ventricle diameter (LVD), interventricular septum thickness (IVST) and posterior wall thickness (PWT) were measured. On the basis of the echocardiographical parameters and anthropometric data, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated. The analysis revealed statistically significant correlation between the LVMI and erythrocyte deformability and aggregability: the LVMI increases with decreasing deformability and is higher in patients with higher aggregability. This finding indicates that the worsening of RBC rheological properties is one of the main factors contributing to alterations of cardiac geometry through the increase of peripheral resistance which, in turn, significantly augments the heart afterload. Given that left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, the association between hemorheological parameters and left ventricular geometry may be important in clinical practice.

Impaired deformability of circulating erythrocytes obtained from nondiabetic hypertensive patients: investigation by a nickel mesh filtration technique

“…There is a large body of evidence that strict BP control is required in the hypertensive patients to prevent target organ damage, whereas evidence that impaired erythrocyte deformability is associated with poor outcome in the hypertensive patients is scanty. Fornal et al reported the significant correlation between the erythrocyte deformability and the left ventricular (LV) geometry calculated by LV mass index, i.e., showing that LV mass index increases with impaired deformability which elevates arterial resistance and cardiac afterload [ 22 ]. Considering that LV hypertrophy (LVH) is a predictor of cardiac mortality and morbidity, rheologic abnormalities has potential impact on outcome in the hypertensive patients.…”

The Role of Red Blood Cell Deformability and Na,K-ATPase Function in Selected Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases in Humans: Focus on Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and Hypercholesterolemia

“…It is also considered as a major determinant of RBC survival, maintaining the blood in fluid phase even at high hematocrit value and allowing the reduction of blood viscosity in larger vessels (Mokken et al 1992). Rigidity and deformability of the RBC play very important role in tissue perfusion and in etiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (Fornal et al 2009, Penco et al 2000. Decrease in RBC deformability caused by Two of above mentioned determinants of RBC deformability are controlled by the activity of Na,K-ATPase in RBC (Fig.…”

Preliminary Study of Genome-Wide Association Identified Novel Susceptibility Genes for Hemorheological Indexes in a Chinese Population

“…Erythrocyte deformation is determined mainly by the fluidity of the membrane and the viscosity of the cytoplasm, but extracellular factors may have an irreversible effect on the erythrocyte membrane [ 42 ]. Fornal et al [ 43 ] reported a statistically significant correlation between left ventricular mass index, erythrocyte deformability, and aggregability. We also found that TMEM232 rs2900050 and USP25-MIR99AHG rs1297329 were significant loci for the circulating level of erythrocyte deformation index.…”