title: Blood viscosity changes in slow coronary flow patients.
abstract: Microvascular dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of slow coronary flow (SCF), but less attention has been paid to intrinsic properties of blood that can also impair the microcirculatory flow. In this study we aimed to evaluate the blood viscosity focusing on erythrocyte aggregation, erythrocyte deformability and plasma viscosity in SCF. Thirty-three patients with SCF (21 male, 54 ± 12.8 years) and 23 subjects with normal coronary arteries (13 male, 59 ± 10.3 years) were included in the study. Coronary flow was quantified by means of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) frame count and aggregation and deformability of erythrocytes were measured by an ektacytometer. Plasma viscosity was measured by a cone-plate viscometer. Aggregation amplitude (23 ± 3.8 au vs. 15.7 ± 6.1 au, respectively, p < 0.001) and area A index (area above syllectogram) (153.2 ± 30.7 au.s vs. 124.9 ± 49.3 au.s, respectively, p < 0.01) were higher in SCF patients. Aggregation half-time, aggregation index, elongation index and plasma viscosity values were similar between two groups. Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between the TIMI frame count for left anterior descending artery and aggregation amplitude in SCF patients (r = 0.679, p < 0.0001). The result of this study reveals changes in erythrocyte aggregation which may contribute to the pathophysiology of SCF. Larger studies are needed to make more robust conclusions on this issue.
authors.affiliation: Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kumral
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ergun-Cagli
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ileri-Gurel
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozeke
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Seringec
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yalcinkaya
authors.forename: Sabit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kocabeyoglu
authors.forename: Fatma Nurcan
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Basar
authors.forename: Nihat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Kerim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cagli
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dikmenoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged