Association between hemorheological alterations and metabolic syndrome

The contribution of hemorheological alterations in the prothrombotic condition in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS) remains a question of debate. We aimed to determine the association between MS and hemorheological parameters by means of a case-control study in 61 MS patients and 89 controls without MS. We determined blood viscosity at 230 s(-1) (Brookfield DVIII viscosimeter); plasma viscosity (Fresenius capillary plasma viscosimeter); erythrocyte aggregation at stasis and 3 s(-1) (MA-1 erythrocyte aggregometer); erythrocyte deformability (Rheodyn SSD at shear stresses of 12, 30 and 60 Pascals) and fibrinogen, along with anthropometric, lipidic and inflammatory parameters. MS patients showed increased blood viscosity (p = 0.018), plasma viscosity (p < 0.001), fibrinogen (p < 0.001), erythrocyte aggregation (p < 0.001), and decreased erythrocyte deformability (p = 0.033). In the multivariate regression analysis, fibrinogen and triglycerides predicted plasma viscosity and erythrocyte aggregability, whereas erythrocyte deformability was associated with alterations in the hydrocarbonate metabolism. Blood viscosity related to abdominal obesity. The logistic regression analysis revealed that of all the MS components, only hypertriglyceridemia independently predicts plasma hyperviscosity (OR 3.75 CI 1.44-9.77 p = 0.007) and erythrocyte hyperaggregability (OR 2.41 CI 1.00-5.80 p = 0.050). Erythrocyte hyperaggregability (EA > 8.23) and hyperfibrinogenemia (fibrinogen > 358 mg/dL) were independent predictors of MS: OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.40-7.93, p = 0.006 and OR 2.42 95% CI 1.04-5.66, p = 0.041, respectively. We conclude that MS is associated with an altered hemorheological profile related to inflammatory, lipidic and glucose intolerance parameters which could favor the development of thrombo-embolic and athero-thrombotic events in MS patients.