Affiliations: [a] Corso Pareggiato di Semeiotica Medica, Divisione di Medicina Generale II (Titolare Prof. A. Craveri), Italy | [b] Clinica Pediatrica (Direttore Prof. M. Giovannini), Università degli Studi di Milano, Istituto di Scienze Biomediche San Paolo, Via di Rudinì, 8 - 20142 Milano, Italy
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to G. Tornaghi.
Note: [] Accepted by: Editor J. Stuart
Abstract: Blood rheology measurements (whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte viscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen) were made in 130 obese subjects (89 adults and 41 children), 23 hyperlipidemic subjects and 88 controls. Obesity was characterized by an increase in blood and plasma viscosity and plasma fibrinogen. Erythrocyte viscosity was normal in obese adults and elevated in obese children. Blood hyperviscosity in adult obese subjects was more evident in the presence of hypertension. Nevertheless, adult obese subjects without associated disease showed a higher blood viscosity than control subjects. Blood viscosity in obese children was not found to have any correlation with hypertension, cholesterol and triglycerides but correlated significantly with percentage overweight. Increased blood, plasma and erythrocyte viscosity but a normal plasma fibrinogen were found in hyperlipidemia.
