Total VLDL Concentration may increase Blood Viscosity and microvascular complications in diabetics: Study

Key findings of the study:

• Upon analysis, the researchers found that the triglycerides were not associated with BV; however, concentrations of total VLDL were associated with BV at low-shear and high-shear rates.
• Upon multivariate models that included fibrinogen and serum globulins, they found that the total VLDL concentration was associated with low-shear (R2 = 0.141) and high-shear viscosity (R2 = 0.135).
• They noted that these associations remained significant after adjustment for red cell count at low-shear (R2 = 0.143) and tended towards significance at high-shear (R2 = 0.136).
• However, they noted that total VLDL concentrations were not significantly associated with BV after adjustment for hematocrit.

The authors concluded, "total VLDL concentrations is associated with high BV even in the absence of chylomicrons and at lower triglyceride levels considered in the aetiology of microcirculatory flow abnormalities in patients with diabetes. Measurement of VLDL concentration may impart more insight into the variable associations between triglyceride-mediated microcirculatory abnormalities in patients with diabetes."

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2021.109180