Effect of weight reduction on blood viscosity parameters in obese women

Abstract

Obesity has been shown to be associated with disturbed hemorheological parameters. We investigated whether these abnormalities could be reversed by weight reduction. Therefore we evaluated blood viscosity parameters of 20 obese women before and after weight loss, achieved after 6 months of a hypocaloric diet (1000 kcal/day). Before dieting the obese women showed an increase of whole blood, plasma and erythrocyte viscosity and plasma fibrinogen when compared with controls. After 6 months of diet whole blood and erythrocyte viscosity values were decreased compared to the starting levels. There was no effect of weight reduction on haematocrit and plasma fibrinogen. After weight loss most hemorheological parameters were improved in the obese women. Only low shear whole blood viscosity, reflecting erythrocyte aggregation, remained abnormal, due to persistingly increased fibrinogen levels.