Prevalence, risk factors and rheological profile of arterial vascular disease; first results of the Aachen study.
During a prospective cohort-study of several year's duration the results of a survey regarding prevalence of arterial occlusive disease, as well as classical risk factors and rheological profile of patients suffering from vascular disease were examined. 364 patients out of a total of 2,498 individuals suffered from vascular disease. 168 (6.7%) had cardiovascular, 151 (6.0%) cerebrovascular and 109 (4.4%) peripheral vascular disease. Compared to to healthy individuals, the patients showed a significant accumulation of classical risk factors (elevated cholesterol and triglyceride values, decreased HDL-cholesterol concentration, obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, gout or diabetes mellitus). Only 30.2% of the healthy controls presented two or more risk factors, whereas the angiological patients showed two or more risk factors in 71.9%. Rheological parameters measured in the survey were: Plasma viscosity, erythrocyte and platelet aggregation, erythrocyte rigidity and hematocrit. Only 14.2% of the healthy individuals had two or more rheological parameters exceeding the 1-s range, whereas 56.6% of the patients showed two or more elevated rheological parameters.
Kiesewetter
H
H
Department of Clinical Haemostaseology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, FRG.
Jung
F
F
Kotitschke
G
G
Nüttgens
H P
HP
Witt
R
R
Winkelhog
C
C
Ladwig
K H
KH
Waterloh
E
E
Roebruck
P
P
Schneider
R
R
D000368:Aged; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005860:Germany, West; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*