Relationship between blood lipids and blood viscosity in a Calabrian population

Plasma viscosity is increased in subjects with risk factors for ischemic heart disease whereas the role of blood viscosity is controversial. Aim of the present study is to evaluate the relationship between blood lipids and blood viscosity. One hundred seventy eight male subjects have been enrolled, aged 35-70 years, participating in an atherosclerosis prevention campaign held in Catanzaro between September 1994 and April 1995. Subjects with previous myocardial infarction and/or plasma triglycerides >400 mg/dl have been excluded. Blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) have been measured and blood has been withdrawn for determination of total cholesterol (T-CHOL), triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), glucose and blood viscosity. Blood viscosity resulted significantly directly correlated to non HDL-C and inversely to HDL-C. The population has been divided in two groups according to T-CHOL/HDL-C ratio value. Subjects with T-CHOL/HDL-C >5 showed increased values of blood viscosity, after adjustement for haematocrit, BMI and glucose. These results demonstrate that blood viscosity is strongly influenced by lipid profile. This might contribute to better understand the deleterious effects that elevated concentrations of blood lipids exert on arterial wall.