ABSTRACT
The erythrocyte aggregation value (AW) has been determined in groups of patients with and without coronary heart disease (CHD) and in a group of apparently normal subjects, using the Metricell apparatus as described by Kachel et al. The following results were obtained: There was a close correlation between the AW and the existence of CHD or arteriosclerosis of peripheral arteries. The precision of the retrospective prediction of CHD by this noninvasive test in male subjects aged over 45 years (total CHD prevalence = 0.494) was: sensitivity = 0.571, specificity = 0.767. The predictive value of positive tests (PVpos) was 0.706, of negative test (PVneg) 0.647. The discriminatory ability of the AW test was superior to that of serum cholesterol determinations or measurement of other CHD risk factors made in the same population. The AW rises exponentially with the total score for risk factors for CHD hazard for the subject. It appears, however, from the insignificant correlations observed that there is no direct connection between the AW and any single risk factor.
Subject(s)
Coronary Disease/blood , Erythrocyte Aggregation , Cholesterol/blood , Coronary Disease/diagnosis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , RiskSubject(s)
Arterial Occlusive Diseases/blood , Erythrocyte Aggregation , Myocardial Infarction/blood , Humans , Middle Aged , RiskABSTRACT
The red blood cell aggregation value (AW) in a group of 39 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) was measured and compared with that of an age- and sex-equivalent group of normals and a group of 12 patients with suspected CAD, whose coronary arteries were found to be normal by coronary arteriography. The AW was significantly higher in CAD patients than in both normal groups (2P < 0.01 and 2P < 0.02 respectively). The AW in a group of 12 CAD-patients treated with the aggregation lowering drug clofibrate was significantly lower than in the untreated CAD-group. The predictive value of AW was calculated by means of mathematical methods. Measurement of AW could be a useful aid in the study of detection of CAD.
Subject(s)
Clofibrate/therapeutic use , Coronary Disease/blood , Erythrocyte Aggregation , Adult , Clofibrate/pharmacology , Erythrocyte Aggregation/drug effects , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Statistics as TopicABSTRACT
1. The in vitro test for red blood cell aggregation has been improved, the coefficient of variation was decreased to 14.2%. 2. By the improved method the earlier findings were confirmed with high statistical significance that heavy smokers have a significantly higher red blood cell aggregation value in comparison with nonsmokers. 3. It could be shown that other coronary risk factors, especially hypercholesterolaemia, increase the aggregation value too. 4. The aggregation of red blood cells increases in the presence of several coronary risk factors in the same patient to higher values than expected from the addition of the aggregations caused by single risk factors.
