title: Impaired blood rheology is associated with endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary risk factors.
abstract: To investigate the relationship between blood rheology and endothelial function in patients with coronary risk factors, brachial arterial flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD), an index of endothelial function and blood passage time (BPT), an index of blood rheology, and fasting blood cell count, glucose metabolism, and plasma fibrinogen, lipid, C-reactive protein, and whole blood viscosity levels were measured in 95 patients with coronary risk factors and 37 healthy controls. Brachial arterial FMD after reactive hyperemia was assessed by ultrasonography. BPT was assessed using the microchannel method. In healthy controls, BPT significantly correlated with FMD (r = - 0.325, p <  0.05), HDL cholesterol (r = - 0.393, p <  0.05), body mass index (BMI; r = 0.530, p <  0.01), and plasma fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.335, p <  0.05). In a multivariate regression analysis adjusted for all clinical variables, BPT remained significantly associated with BMI and fibrinogen, but not with FMD, in healthy controls. In patients with coronary risk factors, BPT significantly correlated with FMD (r = - 0.331, p <  0.01), HDL cholesterol (r = - 0.241, p <  0.05), BMI (r = 0.290, p <  0.01), hematocrit (r = 0.422, p <  0.001), white blood cell count (r = 0.295, p <  0.01), platelet count (r = 0.204, p <  0.05), and insulin (r = 0.210, p <  0.05). In a multivariate regression analysis adjusted for all clinical variables, BPT remained strongly associated with FMD and hematocrit in patients with coronary risk factors. These data indicate that BPT is closely associated with FMD in patients with coronary risk factors and suggest that the measurement of blood rheology using the microchannel method may be useful in evaluating brachial arterial endothelial function as a marker of atherosclerosis in these patients.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sumino
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsunekawa
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nara
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogiwara
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murakami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D007328:Insulin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014664:Vasodilation; D014783:Viscosity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Blood rheology; coronary risk factors; endothelial dysfunction; patients