title: Integral viscosity: a useful parameter in evaluating whole blood and plasma viscosities in health and disease.
abstract: An integral viscosity determination (Q) is proposed for whole blood (QB) and plasma (Qp). The integral viscosity determination was carried out at four shear rates in a Brookfield LTV Viscometer and calculation were obtained by means of a modification of Casson's mathematical model. Polycythemic and paraproteinemic patients resulted to be well differentiated from normals. The ratio QB/Qp represent a continuous sum of relative viscosities and may also supply information on erythrocytes deformability. Integral viscosity determinations are indicated for research purposes and for examining special cases.
mesh_terms: D001809:Blood Viscosity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood; D010949:Plasma; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000097:blood; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000097:blood