Blood rheology and renal transplantation: an intriguing relationship for assessing cardiovascular risk

Transplant Proc. 2010 May;42(4):1383-4. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2010.03.113.

Abstract

Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) are at increased risk of cardiovascular complications. An altered hemorheological profile may determine both cardiovascular complications and progression of renal failure in RTRs. We performed this study to evaluate the rheologic status in 239 RTRs at least 12 months after transplantation with stable and normal renal function compared with 90 control subjects. In RTRs, a significantly higher hematocrit-adjusted, but not native, whole blood viscosity was found (P < .0001). Moreover, plasma viscosity and red blood cell deformability were significantly higher in patients than in control subjects (P < .0001), whereas no difference in erythrocyte aggregation between patients and control subjects was observed (P = .5). Fibrinogen, but not hematocrit, significantly increased in RTRs (P = .001). This preliminary study provides evidence of an altered hemorheologic profile in RTRs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / blood*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Female
  • Hemorheology
  • Humans
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Kidney Transplantation / physiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reference Values
  • Risk Assessment
  • Statistics, Nonparametric