Relationships between body mass index and erythrocyte aggregability in obese subjects with and without type II diabetes

Obesity as well as diabetes is associated with modifications of normal blood flow properties. Erythrocyte aggregation, expressed as mean entity of aggregation or MEA, was determined in a group of 83 obese type II diabetic patients and in a group of 148 obese non diabetic subjects. Furthermore 148 non obese and non diabetic individuals were studied as controls. Obese subjects, with and without diabetes, showed significantly higher values of erythrocyte aggregability as compared to controls. Erythrocyte aggregation tended to increase according to the degree of obesity among non diabetic subjects. The rheological abnormality was more evident among diabetic patients: the highest MEA values were recorded in this group but a correlation with the body mass index was lacking.