Blood viscosity factors in severe nondiabetic and diabetic retinopathy 1

A study of blood viscosity factors (blood and plasma viscosity, aggregation of red cells, temperature coefficient of aggregation of red cells, apparent thrombus viscosity) of 12 diabetic and 19 nondiabetic patients with severe retinopathy indicated that high blood viscosity syndrome is present in majority of these patients, Very significant ( P < 0.001 ) differences were found between these two types of retinopathy when linear regressions of some blood viscosity functions were compared; for instance, apparent viscosity of artificial white thrombus vs cell rigidity or blood viscosity; and temperature coefficient of aggregation of red cells vs albumin level. Statistical analysis implies that there might be a distinctive difference (from the haemorheologic viewpoint) between the diabetic and the nondiabetic retinopathy patients.