RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLASMA VISCOSITY AND THE SEVERITY OF CORONARY HEART-DISEASE

Several studies have indicated that plasma viscosity contributes to ca rdiovascular risk in men. So far, a significant relationship between p lasma viscosity and the severity of coronary heart disease has not bee n found. Thus, the present study is the first to report on the relatio nship of plasma viscosity and the severity of coronary heart disease. In a collective of 1142 male myocardial infarction patients, plasma vi scosity and additional laboratory parameters were determined. Atherosc lerotic changes were quantified by coronary angiography. Patients were divided into groups without any, and with one to three stenosed vesse ls. We found a positive relationship between plasma viscosity and the severity of coronary heart disease, even after adjusting groups for ag e, fibrinogen, and use of diuretics. Mean plasma viscosity ranged from 1.141+/-0.035 mPa s in patients without stenosed vessels to 1.162+/-0 .044 mPa s in patients who had three coronary vessels with stenoses >5 0%. Differences between the groups were significant (P<0.001 to 0.05), with two exceptions: differences between patients without any and wit h one stenosed vessel, as well as between patients with one and two st enosed vessels, did not reach the significance level. On the whole, we can give further support to the hypothesis that cardiovascular risk f actors and coronary heart disease may be linked by plasma viscosity.