title: Elevated whole blood viscosity in patients with lumbar disc herniation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various vascular risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and diabetes mellitus are associated with hyperviscosity and lumbar disc herniation (LDH). However, the changes of viscosity in LDH have not been examined.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was to elucidate 1) the rheological parameter levels in patients with LDH, 2) the risk factors that were related to rheological parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study evaluated the rheological parameters in 307 cases with LDH and in 307 control subjects. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the significant factors for whole blood viscosity (WBV) at low shear rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LDH patients had markedly lower physical activity and significantly higher WBV 3 s-1 compared with non-LDH subjects (p < 0.001). Moreover, WBV (3 s-1) tended to increase as physical activity decreased. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that reduced physical activity was a significant factor contributing to elevated WBV (3 s-1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WBV (3 s-1) is elevated in patients with LDH. In addition, reduced physical activity is a significant factor for WBV (3 s-1). Further studies are warranted to determine the role of WBV (3 s-1) in LDH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Song
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Su-Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
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 / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000209:etiology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Lumbar disc herniation; physical activity; risk factor; whole blood viscosity