Blood viscosity and erythrocyte deformability in diabetic retinopathy

: The whole blood and plasma viscosity, hematocrit and plasma fibrinogen were studied in 26 diabetic patients (11 with and 15 without retinopathy) and in 25 non-diabetic control subjects. Blood viscosity, plasma viscosity and plasma fibrinogen were significantly higher in diabetics than in controls, but no significant differences were found when diabetics with retinopathy were compared to diabetics without retinopathy. The red cell deformability was significantly reduced in diabetics if compared with that of controls; the statistical significance of this reduction was confirmed only in the group of diabetics with retinopathy, but failed when the group of diabetics without retinopathy was considered.