title: Alterations in hemorheological determinants and glycated hemoglobin in black diabetic patients with retinopathy.
abstract: Alterations of hemorheological determinants and glycated hemoglobin levels are prominent features of diabetic retinopathy, resulting in the increased whole-blood and plasma viscosities observed in this condition. These variables have been reported to show ethnic variations. The present study was designed to investigate the pattern of alterations in these variables and the possible influence of plasma viscosity in black diabetic retinopathy patients. Forty-two patients, who included 14 males and 28 females (mean age, 62.81 +/- 11.38 years) were studied. The control group consisted of 30 black, nondiabetic, age-matched subjects, including 10 males and 20 females. Relative plasma viscosity, plasma fibrinogen concentration, packed cell volume, and mean glycated hemoglobin were significantly higher in the diabetic subjects compared with the controls. We observed an increase in plasma viscosity in our study population, similar to those reported in previous studies for Caucasians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences (Physiology Section), Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies.
authors.forename: Dagogo J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pepple
authors.forename: Harvey L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Reid