Affiliations: Hemorheology Unit, Department of Clinical Pathology, La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain | Pediatric Unit, La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain | Radiology Service, La Fe Hospital, Valencia, Spain
Note: [] Complete address: Dr. Amparo Vayá, Hemorheology Unit, Department of Clinical Pathology, 2^\circ P. Gobierno, Hospital La Fe, Avda. Campanar 21, 46009 Valencia, Spain. Fax: + 3868789.
Abstract: In order to ascertain whether hemorheological alterations precede the atherosclerotic lesion in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), we studied the lipid and hemorheological profile of 29 heterozygous FH children (12 males and 17 females), aged 12{}\pm{}3 years, and a well‐matched control group (CG), and assessed their plasma thrombomodulin level as an early marker of endothelial injury. No differences were found between FH children’s plasma thrombomodulin values (31.7{}\pm{}11.2 ng/ml) and those of the CG (27.8{}\pm{}15 ng/ml). However, the rheological variables of FH children and the CG were statistically different (p<0.001) for fibrinogen (Fbg): 266{}\pm{}48 mg/dl vs. 205{}\pm{}32 mg/dl; erythrocyte aggregation at stasis (EAM_{0}): 4.6{}\pm{}1.2 vs. 3.3{}\pm{}0.9; erythrocyte aggregation at low shear (EAM_{1}): 7.9{}\pm{}1.7 vs. 6.1{}\pm{}0.8; and plasma viscosity (PV): 1.18{}\pm{}0.03 cP vs. 1.12{}\pm{}0.04 cP. Correlations between rheological parameters and lipids were found. The normal values obtained in FH children for plasma thrombomodulin suggest that the hemorheological alterations appear prior to the vascular injury, are in part related to dyslipemia and could contribute to the development of the atherosclerotic process by modifyng blood flow conditions.
