Blood rheology changes and disturbances in microcirculation

Abstract

Authors studied modifications of the red blood cells arteriolar velocity (RBcA V) in the conjunctival capillary network in diabetic subjects with alterations of red blood cell (RBc) aggregation and of whole blood viscosity (WBV). WBV, RBc aggregation and RBcA V were studied in diabetics with foot ulceration, with healed ulcer, and in controls. RBcAV, RBc aggregation and WBV resulted statistically different between diabetics with and without plantar perforation, and between diabetics and controls. A significant reduction (p< 0.05) of RBcAV was found in patients with foot perforation compared to diabetic subjects with recovered foot ulcer, and in the group of diabetic patients as a whole (p< 0.05) compared with controls. In a similar way we found a significant increase (p<0.05) of the erythrocyte aggregation, fibrinogen, and WBV in diabetics with ulcer compared with those without this complication and in diabetic patients (p<0.05) considered altogether compared with controls. A reduction of RBcAV was found associated with an increase of Rbc aggregation and WBV in diabetic patients. A decreased arteriolar diameter was found in diabetic patients in comparison with control subjects.We conclude that modifications of RBC aggregation, fibrinogen,and WBV occur in diabetic ulcer patients.These modifications are associated in diabetic patients with arteriolar flow modifications,and can be documented in the conjuctival microcirculation.