title: Haemorheological profile in patients with systemic sclerosis.
abstract: The relationship between rheological alterations and systemic sclerosis (SSc) is not well established. We have determined in 27 patients with SSc (4 male, 21 female ) aged 59 +/- 14 years and in a well matched control group the whole rheological profile, i.e. blood viscosity (BV), plasma viscosity (PV), erythrocyte aggregation (EA), erythrocyte deformability (ED) along with fibrinogen (Fbg), C-reactive protein (CRP), lipids, and erythrocyte indices. Patients show higher Fbg, PV and EA (P<0.01) and lower ED (P<0.01). A negative significant correlation was found between ED and inflammation markers, both CRP (P<0.05) and Fbg (P<0.01), indicating that decreased ED seems to be related to inflammatory changes at microcirculatory levels. In addition, patients with anticentromere antibodies show significantly lower ED than those without (P<0.05). The clinical significance of this observation needs to be clarified, deserving further research.
authors.affiliation: Haemorheology and Thrombosis Unit, Department of Clinical Pathology, La Fe University Hospital, Valencia, Spain. vaya_amp@gva.es
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vayá
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Todolí
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romagnoli
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ricart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018056:Hemorheology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D008055:Lipids; C538950:anticentromere antibody; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein