TY - JOUR
T1 - Chronic blood hyperviscosity in subjects with acute stroke, transient ischemic attack, and risk factors for stroke
AU - Coull, Bruce M.
AU - Beamer, Nancy
AU - De Garmo, Patricia
AU - Sexton, Gary
AU - Nordt, Frank
AU - Knox, Robert
AU - Seaman, Geoffrey V.F.
PY - 1991/2
Y1 - 1991/2
N2 - The origin and significance of blood hyperviscosity in subjects with acute stroke has been controversial. It has been argued that viscous abnormalities simply reflect either elevated hematocnt or an acute-phase response to the stroke itself. To address these issues, we measured the factors that determine blood viscosity in a cross-sectional study of 430 subjects, including 135 with acute stroke, 89 with acute transient ischemic attacks of the brain, 115 with recognized risk factors for stroke, and 91 healthy controls. The at-risk group was balanced with the acute stroke group for types of risk factors and medication usage, and all four groups were balanced for age. The viscosity of whole blood at low rates of shear and the plasma viscosity were significantly elevated in both groups with cerebro vascular symptoms and in the at-risk group compared with the healthy controls. The severity of hyperviscosity was stroke group> transient ischemic attack group>at-riskgroup>healthy controls. Increased viscosity of whole blood was associated with an elevated plasma fibrinogen concentration and with a decreased albumin/globulin ratio. This study provides evidence that blood hyperviscosity is present not only in subjects with acute brain infarction, but also in those with risk factors for stroke, and that these abnormalities are, to a considerable degree, chronic.
AB - The origin and significance of blood hyperviscosity in subjects with acute stroke has been controversial. It has been argued that viscous abnormalities simply reflect either elevated hematocnt or an acute-phase response to the stroke itself. To address these issues, we measured the factors that determine blood viscosity in a cross-sectional study of 430 subjects, including 135 with acute stroke, 89 with acute transient ischemic attacks of the brain, 115 with recognized risk factors for stroke, and 91 healthy controls. The at-risk group was balanced with the acute stroke group for types of risk factors and medication usage, and all four groups were balanced for age. The viscosity of whole blood at low rates of shear and the plasma viscosity were significantly elevated in both groups with cerebro vascular symptoms and in the at-risk group compared with the healthy controls. The severity of hyperviscosity was stroke group> transient ischemic attack group>at-riskgroup>healthy controls. Increased viscosity of whole blood was associated with an elevated plasma fibrinogen concentration and with a decreased albumin/globulin ratio. This study provides evidence that blood hyperviscosity is present not only in subjects with acute brain infarction, but also in those with risk factors for stroke, and that these abnormalities are, to a considerable degree, chronic.
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U2 - 10.1161/01.STR.22.2.162
DO - 10.1161/01.STR.22.2.162
M3 - Article
C2 - 2003279
AN - SCOPUS:0025971739
SN - 0039-2499
VL - 22
SP - 162
EP - 168
JO - Stroke
JF - Stroke
IS - 2
ER -