HEMORHEOLOGICAL CHANGES IN CHILDREN WITH FAMILIAL HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

In order to find out whether hemorheological alterations precede the a therosclerotic lesions in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), we studi ed the lipidic and hemorheological profile of 40 children (18 males an d 22 females) with heterozygous FH but without vascular atheroscleroti c lesions demonstrable on a carotid ultrasound doppler-duplex, and in a well-matched control group. When compared with the control group FH children showed increased erythrocyte aggregation both at stasis (EAM( 0)) (4.9 +/- 1.1 vs 3.6 +/- 1.0) and at low shear rate (EAM(1)) (8.1 /- 1.4 vs 6.9 +/- 1.4; p<0.001), and increased plasma viscosity (PV) ( 1.20 +/- 0.07 vs 1.16 +/- 0.04; p<0.01). Other rheological parameters determined, fibrinogen (Fbg) and blood viscosity (BV), did not show an y statistical differences. The fact that erythrocyte aggregation and p lasma viscosity are increased in FH children, even without any concomi tant statistical increase in fibrinogen, suggests that the dyslipemia itself can contribute to the rheological alterations. On the other han d, the fact that the above mentioned alterations appear prior to the d evelopment of the vascular lesion suggests that they could favour the development of the atherosclerotic process.