The lipid composition of red blood cells and their hemorheological behavior in patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia

Abstract

Seventy patients suffering from primary hyperlipoproteinemia (PHLP), 36 with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), 18 with familial combined hyperlipemia (FCHL), 16 with primary hypertriglyceridemia (PHTG) and a control group of healthy individuals, similar to the patient groups in age range and sex distribution, were tested for the following hemorheological variables: Erythrocyte Deformability (FI); Erythrocyte Aggregability at stasis (MEAo) and at low shear rate (MEA₁) and Fibrinogen (Fbg), with respect to serum lipids and the lipid content of the erythrocyte membrane (cholesterol/phospholipids ratio; CHOL/PL).

An increase in FI, MEAo and MEA₁ was observed in all the PHLP groups. In addition, all the patient groups except PHTG showed an increased fibrinogen concentration. Several statistically significant correlations between plasma lipids, erythrocyte membrane lipids and hemorheological parameters were observed. This indicates that changes in the lipids, be they plasma or membrane lipids, influence the hemorheological alterations found in this study. These alterations can contribute heavily to a circulatory slowdown, leading to a worsening of the ischemic disorders in these patients.