Haemorheological profile in subjects with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.
In a group of subjects (n = 35) with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) subdivided according to the presence (n = 16) or absence (n = 19) of left atrial spontaneous echocontrast (SEC), demonstrated using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, we evaluated the principal haemorheological determinants: whole-blood viscosity, plasma and serum viscosity, haematocrit, whole-blood filtration (VBC) and mean erythrocyte aggregation (MEA). From the obtained data it was evident that in subjects with nonvalvular AF there was an impairment of the haemorheological profile that seemed more evident in AF subjects with SEC, although no significant haemorheological difference was present between AF subjects with and without SEC. These findings need to be underlined considering that this clinical condition is associated to a major thromboembolic risk.
Istituto di Clinica Medica e Malattie Cardiovascolari, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy.
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Caimi
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Messina
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Alfano
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Canino
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Fabbiano
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Cammarata
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Lo Presti
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood*; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged