Psoriasis and hemorheology. Influence of the metabolic syndrome.

Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disorder with increased cardiovascular risk which has been partly attributed to the increased prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the contribution of rheological alterations to cardiovascular risk has been scarcely investigated. In 91 psoriasis patients and in 101 healthy volunteers, we determined the rheological profile (fibrinogen, blood viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation), along with lipidic and inflammatory parameters.

Erythrocyte deformability in macrocytosis determined by means of ektacytometry techniques.

There is little information regarding the behaviour of red blood cell deformability in macrocytosis. We have determined in 114 patients with macrocytosis (MCV > 97 fL) and in 115 age and sex-matched subjects with normocytosis (VCM < 97 fL) erythrocyte deformability by means of ektacytometric techniques (Rheodyn SSD) measuring the erythrocyte elongation index (EEI) at 12, 30 and 60 Pa. Patients with macrocytosis showed statistically higher EEI at all the shear stresses tested when compared with controls (p < 0.