Hemorheological parameters in Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS)

Abstract

There is scarcity of information about the hemorheological pattern in subjects with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS). This preliminary research is focused on the behaviour of whole-blood and plasma viscosity, haematocrit and erythrocyte deformability in the above clinical condition. We enrolled 21 MGUS subjects (10 women and 11 men; mean age 66.4 ± 11.6 years). In fasting venous blood we examined whole-blood and plasma viscosity at high and low shear rates, haematocrit, the ratios between whole-blood viscosity (at high and low shear rate) and haematocrit × 100, the ratio between plasma viscosity at low and high shear rate, and the erythrocyte deformability expressed as elongation index. By comparing normal controls to MGUS subjects a significant increase in whole-blood viscosity at high shear rate and in plasma viscosity at low shear rate were observed. In MGUS subjects the ratios between the high and low shear rate blood viscosity and haematocrit × 100, as well as the ratio between the low and high shear rate plasma viscosity were significantly higher. In MGUS subjects a marked decrease in erythrocyte deformability was also observed. The alteration of the hemorheological profile found in these subjects might be involved in the pathogenesis of thromboembolic events, which occur with a high frequency in MGUS.