Blood fluidity, fibrinogen, and cardiovascular risk factors of occlusive arterial disease: results of the Aachen study.

In the Aachen study the prevalence of arterial disease was established in 346 out of a cohort of 2821 subjects between 45 and 65 years of age. Rheological variables and risk factor profile for patients with peripheral occlusive arterial disease (POAD), coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular insufficiency (CI) in comparison to a control group are given. Significantly elevated are hematocrit in males, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte aggregation and fibrinogen. It is evident that plasma viscosity is the rheological parameter most often elevated in patients with arterial disease (70.8%). In patients with CI (80.6%) plasma viscosity is elevated about four times more often than in healthy subjects. While 85.8% of healthy volunteers show no or only one elevated rheological parameter only 44.5% of the patients have this constellation. Risk factors are bundled in patients compared to healthy volunteers. 84.2% of the healthy volunteers have no or only one risk factor whereas patients with OAD show this constellation in only 30.9% (32.4% in POAD, 16.1% in CI and 32.4% in CHD).