Hyperviscosity in chronic granulocytic leukemia.

A patient with chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) initially presented with ischemic necrosis of three fingers. His peripheral white blood cell count (WBC) of 256,000/cu mm was associated with an elevated whole blood viscosity. These factors seemed related to his vascular insufficiency. In a further study of 10 patients with CGL, a direct correlation was found between an increasing WBC (or cytocrit) and whole blood viscosity. In CGL an elevated WBC causing an increased whole blood viscosity may be associated with vascular insufficiency, leukostasis, and the hyperviscosity syndrome.