[Changes of blood-flow properties in patients with chronic liver disease (author's transl)]

The determination of plasma viscosity in 37 patients with liver disease allowed their subdivision into three groups. Firstly, decreased viscosity (hypoviscosity) was found in patients with cirrhosis, marked portal hypertension and esophageal varices. Secondly, normal viscosity (normoviscosity) was found in patients with inactive cirrhosis without portal hypertension, and thirdly, increased viscosity (hyperviscosity) was found in patients with active cirrhosis and chronic progressive hepatitis. The concentrations of total serum protein, of fibrinogen and of IgG were found to influence plasma viscosity. A detailed differentiation revealed that increased plasma viscosity is caused by increased levels of IgG while decreased viscosity correlates with low fibrinogen levels. Furthermore a close correlation exists between plasma viscosity and the enzymatic activity of SGOT, SGPT and GLDH. In 5 patients with chronic progressive hepatitis treated with corticosteroids the plasma viscosity normalized in parallel with improvement of the hepato-cellular damage. These findings will be discussed in detail. Hyperviscosity might possibly serve as an additional parameter to characterize chronic progressive hepatitis and to indicate steroid treatment.