[Infection and tissue ischemia: what role does the rheologic behavior of blood cells play?].

It is not clear how acute infection is associated with a subsequent ischaemic brain infarction. Infection may, in fact, cause changes in blood fluidity. Abnormalities in blood flow, particularly in white blood cell rheology, are known to be precipitating factors for ischaemic events. Therefore the rheological behaviour of the erythrocytes and the leukocytes were studied 30 days after the onset of acute bacterial infections in 30 patients and in a group of 50 controls (matched for sex, body mass index and cardiovascular risk factors). Our results show a significant impairment in the flow properties of the leukocytes in the patients compared to the controls, and indicate disturbances in leukocyte rheology might be considered an additional risk factor for ischaemic brain infarction when it occurs shortly after febrile infection.