title: Abnormal blood rheology and chronic low grade inflammation: possible risk factors for accelerated atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease in Lewis negative subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that abnormal hemorheology and chronic low-grade inflammation are more prevalent in Lewis negative individuals, possibly contributing to premature atherosclerosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We enrolled 223 healthy subjects (154 females, mean age: 64yrs). Conventional risk factors, markers of inflammation and hemorheological profiles were measured; Lewis blood group was determined by serology. Conventional risk factors (age, gender, BMI, blood pressure, lipid profile, smoking habit) did not differ among Lewis phenotypes. However, markers of inflammation (WBC, hs-CRP, ESR) were significantly elevated and rheological parameters (RBC aggregation, plasma viscosity) were abnormal in Lewis negative subjects, especially when compared to the Le(a-b+) group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With a prevalence of 33% in select populations, our data support the hypothesis that Le(a-b-) represents a pro-inflammatory phenotype that may contribute to the elevated cardiovascular risk in this group.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA; Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. Electronic address: talexy@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alexy
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pais
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Rosalinda B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Wenby
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Howard N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Hodis
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kono
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Koc University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oguz K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Baskurt
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
authors.forename: Herbert J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Meiselman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007328:Insulin; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Blood rheology; Inflammation; Lewis negative phenotype