Haematological stress syndrome in atherosclerosis.
Forty patients with atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease, as compared to 29 healthy controls, showed a significant increase in platelet number and activity, a neutrophil leucocytosis, and a raised level of several acute-phase reactant proteins (fibrinogen, antithrombin III, factor VIII, and serum globulin). The hyperproteinaemia was associated with increases in plasma-, serum-, and blood-viscosity and is the likely cause of the hyperviscosity of vascular disease. These multiple haemostatic abnormalities closely resemble the non-specific, haematological stress-syndrome response to acute and chronic inflammatory disorders. In atherosclerosis also they may represent a non-specific, secondary response and neither be of aetiological significance nor reflect continuing low-grade intravascular coagulation.
D000368:Aged; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010976:Platelet Count
D001798:Blood Proteins