The Relationship between Blood Viscosity and Isolated Coronary Artery Ectasia
Yusuf Çekici1, Salih Kılıç1, Erhan Saraçoğlu1
1Department of Cardiology, Gaziantep Dr Ersin Arslan Training and Research Hospital.
Insights
Whole blood viscosity (WBV) is significantly higher in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia (iCAE). This finding suggests elevated WBV may contribute to the development of iCAE.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Hematology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- The relationship between isolated coronary artery ectasia (iCAE) and whole blood viscosity (WBV) remains unclear.
- Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a condition affecting the coronary arteries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whole blood viscosity (WBV) in patients diagnosed with isolated coronary artery ectasia (iCAE).
- To determine if elevated WBV is associated with iCAE.
Main Methods:
- A study included 78 patients with iCAE and 83 controls with normal coronary arteries.
- Whole blood viscosity (WBV) was calculated using a validated equation based on hematocrit and total plasma protein levels at both low (LSR) and high (HSR) shear rates.
Main Results:
- Patients with iCAE exhibited significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein and total protein compared to controls.
- Both high shear rate (HSR) and low shear rate (LSR) WBV were significantly elevated in the iCAE group.
- ROC analysis indicated specific WBV cut-off values for HSR and LSR with high sensitivity and specificity for predicting iCAE.
- Multivariate analysis identified both LSR and HSR as independent predictors of iCAE presence.
Conclusions:
- Whole blood viscosity (WBV), at both high (HSR) and low (LSR) shear rates, is significantly higher in patients with iCAE compared to controls.
- Elevated WBV may be a contributing factor to the development of isolated coronary artery ectasia (iCAE).
Background:
It is unclear whether isolated coronary artery ectasia (iCAE) is associated with whole blood viscosity (WBV). In the present study, we investigated WBV in coronary artery ectasia (CAE) patients.
Methods:
Seventy-eight patients with iCAE and 83 controls with normal coronary arteries were selected from 12290 patients who underwent coronary angiography between January 2014 and December 2017. WBV was calculated with a validated equation from hematocrit and total plasma protein levels for a low (LSR) and high (HSR) shear rate.
Results:
Baseline demographic characteristics and medical history of the groups were similar. The mean level of C-reactive protein (2.1 ± 0.53 vs. 1.93 ± 0.44; p = 0.042) and total protein (7.2 ± 0.3 vs. 7.0 ± 0.6; p = 0.009) were significantly higher in the iCAE group than in the control subjects. Both HSR (4.57 ± 0.6 vs. 3.9 ± 0.7; p < 0.001) and LSR (33.5 ± 9.6 vs. 25.1 ± 9.2; p < 0.001) levels were significantly higher in the iCAE group than in the control group. In ROC analysis, a cut-off value of 4.19 WBV for HSR had an 80.8% sensitivity and 72.3% specificity [area under the curve (AUC): 0.779, 95% CI 70.6-85.1; p < 0.001] and a cut-off value of 27.5 WBV for LSR had an 80.1% sensitivity and 72.3% specificity for predicting iCAE (AUC: 0.788, 95% CI 71.4-86.2; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, both LSR (p < 0.001, OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.15) and HSR (p < 0.001, OR 4.60, 95% CI 2.33-9.09) were independent predictors for the presence of iCAE.
Conclusions:
In the present study, we determined that in WBV, both HSR and LSR were significantly higher in the iCAE group than in the control subjects, and that this may be a possible cause of iCAE.
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