Plasma Viscosity and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Abstract

Abstract-Plasma viscosity is determined by various macromolecules, eg, fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, and lipoproteins.It may therefore reflect several aspects involved in cardiovascular diseases, including the effects of classic risk factors, hemostatic disturbances, and inflammation. We examined the association of plasma viscosity with the incidence of a first major coronary heart disease event (CHD; fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and cardiac death; nϭ50) in 933 men aged 45 to 64 years of the MONICA project of Augsburg, Germany. The incidence rate was 7.23 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.37 to 9.53), and the subjects were followed up for 8 years. All suspected cases of an incident CHD event were classified according to the MONICA protocol. There was a positive and statistically significant unadjusted relationship between plasma viscosity and the incidence of CHD. The relative risk of CHD events associated with a 1-SD increase in plasma viscosity (0.070 mPa ⅐ s) was 1. Key Words: viscosity Ⅲ plasma Ⅲ coronary heart disease Ⅲ incidence Ⅲ prospective studies P ositive associations of various factors, like smoking, blood pressure, and cholesterol, with the incidence of CHD are well established. However, high-risk patients identified by hypertension, smoking, and elevated cholesterol accounted for only 32% of all future MIs in one study. 1 Furthermore, event rates vary considerably across countries, a fact that cannot be explained by differences in conventional risk factors.2,3 Plasma viscosity, a major determinant of blood flow in the microcirculation, may be one explanation of such a difference. 4 Thus, other factors might contribute to the pathogenesis of CHD. Evidence from prospective studies has implicated fibrinogen as a major independent cardiovascular risk factor. 5Only three prospective studies are available wherein plasma viscosity (which is determined to some extent by fibrinogen) was measured along with other risk-related parameters. Plasma viscosity, as well as fibrinogen and white blood cell count, was positively associated with the incidence of CHD events in a population-based study of middle-aged men.6,7 Plasma viscosity and fibrinogen were also associated with incident CHD and stroke in a study of older men and women 8 and with recurrence of stroke in another study. 9In the first cross-sectional study of the MONICA Project, Augsburg, 1984 to 1985, plasma viscosity but not fibrinogen was measured in addition to conventional risk factors. This report assesses the prognostic impact of plasma viscosity for a first major incident CHD event in 45-to 64-year-old German men.

Haemorheological Profiles and its Pearson correlation among patients with nephrotic syndrome, South West Nigeria.

“…This important hemodynamic biomarker determines the amount of friction against the blood vessels, the degree to which the heart must work, and the quantity of oxygen delivery to the tissues and organs. It has been reported that elevated blood viscosity is a strong independent predictor for cardiovascular events (Koenig et al, 1998). In the Edinburgh Artery study, it was reported that elevated blood viscosity was the strongest predictor of stroke risk after controlling all other major risk factor (Ciuffetti et al, 2005: Lee et al, 1998.…”

“…This effect is most pronounced in tissues where healthy capillaries are essential for unimpaired function such as the kidney, eyes, fingers and toes (Kensey and Cho, 2007;Sloop, 1996). Elevated blood viscosity is a strong independent predictor of cardiovascular events (Koenig et al, 1998).…”

Value of Plasma Viscocity as an Acute Phase Reactant in Patients With Pneumonia

“…Increased blood and plasma viscosity has been described in patients with coronary and peripheral arterial disease. The strong positive correlation between plasma viscosity and fibrinogen has been reported in several studies (1,2). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and fibrinogen levels are well known as acute phase reactants.…”

Systemic Low-Grade Inflammation and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: Results from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg Cohort Studies

“…A 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in plasma viscosity (0.070 mPa · s) was associated with a 42 % increase in the relative risk (RR 1.42, 95 %CI, 1.09 -1.86). Comparison of the RR for a CHD event in the top quintile to the risk in the bottom quintile yielded a more than 3-fold increased risk (RR 3.31, 95 % CI 1.19 -9.25) [6].…”