Abstract
This study deals with blood viscosity factors not usually employed in the biorheological characterization of disease or as prognostic indices, The apparent viscosity of artificial red/white and white thrombi and aggregation of red cells, as defined by the erythrocyte sedimentation rates corrected for plasma viscosity and adjusted to haematocrit of 30 per cent, arc elevated in cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and renal failure, and in malignant melanoma. The two new potential diagnostic or prognostic parameters studied are: (a) influence of fibrinogen level on the apparent viscosity of artificial thrombi and on the aggregation of red cells; and (b) influence of ABO blood groups on the correlations obtained for the functions described under (a). It is shown that the effect of fibrinogen varies greatly depending not only on the type of disease but also on the type of ABO blood group. While in the normal states or in artificial systems the levels of fibrinogen arc correlated with the increases in these rheological parameters, there is no correlation in vascular disorders. In all the vascular and malignant disorders there were very significant (P < 0.001) differences between A and O, A and B, and Band O blood groups in the effects of fibrinogen level on these rheological functions.
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