title: Effect of hydroxyurea on blood viscosity in chronic myelogenous leukemia with hyperleukocytosis.
abstract: The effect of hydroxyurea on blood viscosity was studied in 10 patients with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and hyperleukocytosis (white blood cell counts over 200 x 10(9)/l). All the patients had visible manifestations of leukostasis such as headache, blurred vision, retinal hemorrhage, pulmonary infiltrates, etc. Contraves LS 30 viscometer was used to measure the blood viscosity at 37 degrees C and at different shear rates on paired leukemic blood samples obtained before and after the hydroxyurea treatment. The blood viscosity was significantly higher in CML patients then normal subjects and decreased after treatment with hydroxyurea. In all the cases plasma viscosity was unaffected by the treatment.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Powai, Bombay.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Bhat
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006918:Hydroxyurea