Open AccessPossible association of stroke with higher whole blood viscosity: study in a high altitude (Cusco 3399 masl)
Author(s) -
Charles Huamani Saldaña,
Franklin Miranda- Solis,
Víctor Oré Montalvo,
William Bayona,
Carlos Guillem Perez,
Juan Carlos Acuña,
Golda Córdova,
Luis D. Pacheco,
Dario Antonio
Publication year - 2021
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
DOI - 10.5327/1516-3180.137
Subject(s) - blood viscosity , stroke (engine) , altitude (triangle) , medicine , viscometer , plasma viscosity , viscosity , materials science , mathematics , physics , geometry , composite material , thermodynamics
Background. Risk factors for stroke have been extensively studied, however, few studies have been carried out in high-altitude cities. Objectives. To evaluate the difference in blood viscosity, using direct methods, in stroke patients versus patients without stroke to discover any possible association. Design and setting. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of Cusco, Peru (3399 m.a.s.l). Methods: Participants included stroke patients with less than three days of illness and controls without stroke. Viscosity levels were measured in all patients using a cone-plate viscometer. Blood viscosity was evaluated at 10, 20, 30 and 40 revolutions per minute (RPM) because blood is considered a nonNewtonian fluid. Plasma viscosity was evaluated at 100RPM. All viscosity units are expressed as means standard deviations (SD) in centipoises (cP). Results: A total of 204 patients were included (61 cases/143 controls). The mean age was 67.5 (SD:15.9), and 88 (43%) were women. The means of blood viscosity for 10, 20, 30RPM in the stroke cases were 5.85cP (SD:1.21), 5.22cP (SD:1.09), and 4.91cP (SD:1.02), and 4.81cP (SD:1.02) respectively. For the controls were of 5.57cP (SD:1.19), 4.89cP (SD:4.85), 4.63cP (SD:0.97), 4.56cP (SD:0.95), respectively. All measured means were tested with significant differences (p <0.01). Plasma viscosities were 1.43cP (SD:0.17) for the stroke cases and 1.49cP (SD:0.23) for controls (p=0.05). Conclusions: This study found that blood viscosity is 0.3cP higher in stroke patients. This suggests that blood viscosity could play a role in the etiology. The results presented are preliminary and the study is still under development.