Hemorheological improvement after Daflon 500 mg treatment in diabetes

Rheological disorders, such as blood hyperviscosity, red blood cell (RBC) hyperaggregation or hypodeformability, may be responsible for vascular complications in diabetes. As pointed out by many reports, flavonoids are known to act on RBC rheology in relation with venous thrombosis. These disorders were evaluated by viscometry in order to follow the hemorheological impact of a flavonoid (Daflon 500 mg). Hemorheological effects of Daflon 500 mg, 6 tablets per day for 28 days, were tested in 18 diabetic patients by viscometric measurements carried out on 2 ml blood sample withdrawn on EDTA. Measurements, before and after treatment, were compared with usual statistical tests. The following results were obtained: (1) a decrease of blood viscosity, more pronounced at low shear rate; (2) a better RBC disaggregability process under shear. Therefore, the main conclusion was that the hemorheological improvement, observed after Daflon 500 mg treatment, due to a decrease of RBC aggregation, can induce a decrease of blood flow resistance and a reduction in stasis and resulting ischemia.