title: Changes in blood rheology caused by Crohn's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are at increased risk for thromboembolism, and multifocal microvascular infarction has even been suggested as a pathogenetic mechanism in CD. Abnormalities in blood rheology may contribute to the thromboembolism.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess blood rheology in CD patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective evaluation of rheological parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out-patients at the gastroenterological department of a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients with inactive CD (Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) < 150), 31 patients with active CD (CDAI > 150), and 39 control subjects with no CD were included in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  C-reactive protein and orosomucoid were used as serum inflammatory parameters. Fibrinogen, red cell aggregation (low shear, 3/s) and plasma viscosity were used as rheological parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fibrinogen (active CD: median 530 mg/dl (interquartile range 410-630); inactive CD: 377 (316-499); and controls: 246 (220-280)), red cell aggregation (active CD: 9.97 arb. units (8.58-11.77); inactive CD: 9.03 (7.25-10.37); controls: 7.58 (7-8.52)); and plasma viscosity (active CD: 1.82 mPa.s (1.68-1.95); inactive CD: 1.72 (1.65-1.82), controls: 1.61 (1.58-1.64)) were all significantly higher in patients with active and inactive CD than they were in controls. Additionally, fibrinogen was significantly higher in patients with active CD than it was in patients with inactive CD. The rheological parameters correlated with serum inflammatory parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changes in blood rheology seem to be associated with inflammatory activity in patients with CD. These changes may be involved in the development of thromboembolism and the pathogenesis of mucosal inflammation, especially in patients with high inflammatory activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine IV, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Novacek
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vogelsang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Genser
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gangl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ehringer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koppensteiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000502:physiology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012212:Rheology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein