[Factors that determine the high blood viscosity syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis patients]

High blood viscosity is a syndrome that may be attributed to a group of the most important disorders of microcirculation under different pathological conditions of the body. The given syndrome manifests itself by disorders of red blood cell deformability (RBCD), high plasma and whole blood viscosity. 32 patients with a verified diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined, showing varying activity and systemic manifestations. There was a significant decrease of RBCD from 82.0 + 4.5% in patients with grade I activity to 33.0 + 15.0% in patients with grade III activity (p < 0.01). At the same time plasma viscosity remained practically unchanged. Whole blood viscosity rose with RA activity enhancement: in grade I, it was 1.87 + 0.60 relative units, in grade II, it was 2.80 + 0.80 relative units, in grade III, it constituted 5.30 + 3.70 relative units (p < 0.02). It is assumed that RBCD disturbance is one of the most leading signs in the development of high blood viscosity in RA patients.