Hemorheological changes in children with polygenic hypercholesterolemia.

In order to ascertain whether polygenic hypercholesterolemia (PH), the most common cause of small increases in plasma lipids during childhood, is associated with rheological alterations, we determined the hemorheological and lipid profile of 21 PH children (12 males, 9 females) and a well-matched control group (CG). In addition, a carotid ultrasound was done on all the PH children, but showed no alterations. When compared with the CG, PH children showed increased erythrocyte aggregation both at stasis (EAM0) (4.39+/-1.15 vs. 3.75+/-1.02), p < 0.05, and at low shear rate (EAM1) (8.22+/-1.42 vs. 7+/-1.39), p < 0.01, and increased plasma viscosity (PV) (1.19+/-0.04 cP vs. 1.15+/-0.04 cP), p < 0.01. These results reinforce the hypothesis that lipid metabolic alterations are associated with specific rheological modifications in absence of a demonstrable atherosclerotic lesion.