The contribution of whole blood viscosity in assessment of vascular function

dc.contributor.advisorTanaka, Hirofumi, Ph. D.en
dc.contributor.committeeMemberFarrar, Rogeren
dc.creatorParkhurst, Kristin Louiseen
dc.date.accessioned2011-07-07T15:43:53Zen
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-11T22:22:33Z
dc.date.available2011-07-07T15:43:53Zen
dc.date.available2017-05-11T22:22:33Z
dc.date.issued2011-05en
dc.date.submittedMay 2011en
dc.date.updated2011-07-07T15:43:57Zen
dc.descriptiontexten
dc.description.abstractAlthough blood viscosity is an important component in determining vascular function, it is often assumed constant. Emerging evidence linking individual differences in viscosity to cardiovascular disease casts doubt on this assumption. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of whole blood viscosity to key measures of vascular function. To address this aim as comprehensively as possible, first, whole blood viscosity was compared with traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Then flow-mediated dilation (FMD), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and carotid artery compliance were calculated either with or without blood viscosity taken into account. Lastly, we tested whether the removal of blood viscosity could influence well-established associations between age and vascular function. Blood viscosity and vascular function were measured in 97 adults ranging in age from 18-63 years. No significant differences were observed between whole blood viscosity and traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Whole blood viscosity was not significantly correlated with FMD, cfPWV, and carotid compliance. As expected, age was positively correlated with cfPWV (r=0.65, p<0.001) and negatively correlated with FMD (r=-0.21, p<0.05) and carotid compliance (r=-0.45, p<0.01). Even after controlling for viscosity, these relationships remained statistically significant (cfPWV r=0.65, p<0.001; FMD r=-0.24, p<0.05; carotid compliance r=-0.44, p<0.05). These results indicate that whole blood viscosity does not appear to significantly impact measures of vascular function and that the rationale for including whole blood viscosity in the calculation of vascular function remains weak.en
dc.description.departmentKinesiology and Health Educationen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.slug2152/ETD-UT-2011-05-3030en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/ETD-UT-2011-05-3030en
dc.language.isoengen
dc.subjectWhole blood viscosityen
dc.subjectVascular functionen
dc.subjectFlow-mediated dilationen
dc.subjectRisk factorsen
dc.subjectCardiovascular diseaseen
dc.subjectCarotid-femoral pulse wave velocityen
dc.subjectCarotid artery complianceen
dc.titleThe contribution of whole blood viscosity in assessment of vascular functionen
dc.type.genrethesisen

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