[Hemorheologic changes in diabetes mellitus].
78 diabetics and a healthy control group of 100 were evaluated according to their haemorrheological parameters (whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, aggregability and rigidity of erythrocytes). Diabetics were divided according to type of diabetes, quality of metabolic control and expression of microangiopathy. Hyperviscosity was noted in both groups of diabetics as compared to the control group. Changes in patients with IDDM were more pronounced in erythrocyte rigidity, while in patients with NIDDM they were more expressed in cell aggregability. These changes were present even before the clinical onset of the late complications of diabetes, although they were more expressed in patients with complications. Changes in patients with good metabolic control, were less expressed in comparison to those with poor metabolic control. The conclusion is that metabolic derangements in diabetes have an important influence on haemorrheological properties. Thus, reducing blood viscosity in these patients, may be a promising approach to improving microcirculation and delaying the progression of microangiopathy.