Haemorheological changes in African breast cancer patients.

Several studies have indicated the existence of thrombo-embolic complications in cancer patients and that this could be associated with changes in heamorheological parameters. Packed cell volume (PCV), heamoglobin (Hb), relative plasma viscosity (RPV) and plasma Fibrinogen concentration (PFC) were measured in 50 healthy control women, 50 age-matched women with breast cancer, and 10 women with histophathologically proven benign breast tumour. There were significant differences between the controls and breast cancer patients in all the parameters measured (p < 0.05). However, patients with cancer have significantly higher RPV and PFC (P < 0.001) respectively than controls. There was significant mean difference between pre and post mastectomy in fibrinogen concentration (p < 0.05) and this was observed over the 5-week study period. Since increased fibrinogen may give rise to increase fibrin formation which has been asserted as an independent cardiovascular risk factor for thromb-oembolic complications, African patients with breast cancer may well be predisposed to thrombotic complications during illness. The theological assessment may offer valuable benefit for the management and early diagnosis of breast cancer in African women.

Haemorheological changes in African breast cancer patients

Several Studies have indicated the existence of thrombo-embolic complications in cancer patients and that this could be associated with changes in heamorheological para- meters. Packed cell volume (PCV); heamoglobin (Hb); relative plasma viscosity (RPV) and plasma Fibrinogen concentration (PFC) were measured in 50 healthy control women; 50 age-matched women with breast cancer; and 10 women with histophathologically proven benign breast tumour. There were significant differences between the controls and breast cancer patients in all the parameters measured (p0.05). However; patients with cancer have significantly higher RPV and PFC (P0.001) respectively than controls. There was significant mean difference between pre and post mastectomy in fibrinogen concentration (p0.05) and this was observed over the 5-week study period. Since increased fibrinogen may give rise to increase fibrin formation which has been asserted as an independent cardiovascular risk factor for thromb-oembolic complications; African patients with breast cancer may well be predisposed to thrombotic complications during illness. The rheological assessment may offer valuable benefit for the management and early diagnosis of breast cancer in African women

Haemorheological and fibrinolytic activity in hypertensive Nigerians.

Hypertension is the most significant cardiovascular risk factor to emerge in developing countries. 64 hypertensives (40 old hypertensives and 18 newly diagnosed hypertensives) and 40 age and sex matched normotensives controls were studied. Plasma fibrinogen concentration (PFC), euglobulin lysis time (ELT) and relative plasma viscosity (RPV) and relative whole blood viscosity (RWBV) were estimated. The PFC, RPV, RWBV and ELT were significantly higher in new and old hypertensives (P < 0.005), respectively, compared with controls, while the RPV was significantly higher (P < 0.005) in new hypertensives than old hypertensives. The significantly higher PFC, RPV and ELT in new hypertensives correspond to higher BP in the new hypertensives than old hypertensives. There were consistence significance levels in PFC, RPV and ELT in both female hypertensives and controls (P < 0.005), respectively, with higher BP in male than female. Though there were no significant mean differences between the hypertensive patients in the first two years of the disease, there were cumulative consistent increase in fibrinogen levels and euglobulin lysis time from two years; while RPV shows inconsistence variation until the 5th year. We conclude that a defective rheology and fibrin-clearing mechanism may contribute to aetiology of vascular complications in hypertensive patients especially in the long term.