Blood viscosity in young male diabetics with and without retinopathy

Blood viscosity (shear rates 100s-1 and 0.94 s-1) and several of its major determinants (haematocrit, plasma fibrinogen and plasma viscosity) have been measured in 38 male insulin-treated diabetics, aged 18–50 years, and in 38 non-diabetic control subjects matched for age and smoking habit. Diabetics without fundoscopic retinopathy (n=20) had higher mean blood viscosity than controls at the high shear rate (7.07 cP vs 6.75 cP, p 0.32, p<0.05).