title: Increased whole blood viscosity is associated with silent cerebral infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of silent cerebral infarction (SCI) increases the risk of transient ischemia attack, symptomatic stroke, cardiovascular disease and dementia. Increased viscosity is associated with aging, obesity, carotid intima-media thickness, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and stroke.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to assess the hemorheological parameters levels in SCI patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the association between hemorheological parameters and SCI in 1487 subjects (868 men and 619 women) undergoing medical check-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants with SCI had higher whole blood viscosity (WBV) levels at low shear rate than those without SCI (10.34 ± 1.77 mPa.s vs. 8.98 ± 0.88 mPa.s; P <  0.001). Moreover, the subjects with a high WBV had a higher prevalence of SCI. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a significant association of WBV levels with the risk of SCI after adjustment for confounding factors (OR: 2.025; 95% CI: 1.750-2.343; P <  0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whole blood viscosity at low shear rate is a novel indicator for SCI regardless of classical cardiovascular risk factors. Early measurement of whole blood viscosity may be helpful to assess the risk of stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Rui-yan
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.|International Physical Examination and Healthy Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Rui-tao
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Silent cerebral infarction; atherosclerosis; risk factors; whole blood viscosity