Body composition and exercise performance as determinants of blood rheology in middle-aged patients exhibiting the metabolic syndrome

Issue title: Selected Proceedings of the 16th Conference of the European Society for Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation (ESCHM), 18–21 June, 2011, Munich, Germany

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Brun, Jean-Frédéric | Varlet-Marie, Emmanuelle^; | Fédou, Christine | Raynaud de Mauverger, Eric

Affiliations: U1046, INSERM, Université de Montpellier 1, Université de Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France; CHRU Montpellier, Département de Physiologie Clinique, Montpellier, France | Laboratoire, Performance Santé Altitude, Université de Perpignan Via Domitia, Département Sciences et Techniques des Activités Physiques et Sportives, Font-Romeu, France | Laboratoire de Biophysique and Bio-Analyses, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Montpellier I, France

Note: [] Corresponding author: Jean-Frédéric Brun, U1046, INSERM, Université de Montpellier 1, Université de Montpellier 2, Montpellier, France; CHRU Montpellier, Département de Physiologie Clinique, Montpellier, France. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Aerobic capacity and performance are associated with increased blood fluidity, while sedentarity leads to decreased exercise performance, and blood hyperviscosity. We aimed at investigating the relationships among body composition, blood rheology and exercise performance in this situation. In 46 sedentary subjects (53.09 ± 1.79 yr old; BMI = 32,35 ± 0,80) attending our unit for an exercise prescription we performed an exercise test to assess aerobic capacity, together with blood lipid profile and blood viscosity (MT 90 viscometer, Myrenne erythroaggregometer). The maximal aerobic capacity VO2max was not correlated to blood rheology but its changes were negatively correlated to those of plasma viscosity (r = −0.679) and pre-training VO2max values were negatively correlated to the BMI (r = −0.45873; p = 0.00430) and fatness (waist circumference r = −0.53476; p = 0.00406). Hemorheological parameters were as expected correlated to blood lipids. The main determinant of the RBC rigidity index Tk was HDL-cholesterol (r = −0.70026; p = 0.00121). The main determinant of M1 is HDL-cholesterol (r = −0.5157; p = 0.0238). RBC aggregability “M” is negatively correlated to total cholesterol (r = −0.758932; p = 0.000105); HDL-cholesterol (r = −0.62232; p = 0.00444); LDL-cholesterol (r = −0.64486; p = 0.00386). Whole blood viscosity is correlated to triglycerides (r = 0.8569; p = 0.00000140) and negatively correlated to HDL-cholesterol (r = −0.5622; p = 0.0122). Waist circumference (an index of abdominal fatness) is correlated to blood viscosity (r = 0.597; p = 0.00888). The waist to hip ratio is correlated to Hct (r = 0.70075 p = 0.00120) and to blood viscosity (r = 0.8124334; p = 0.0000420). Fat-free mass is correlated to blood viscosity (r = 0.66528; p = 0.00137) and hematocrit (r = 0.64350; p = 0.00220). Hip circumference is negatively correlated to plasma viscosity (r = −0.5007; p = 0.0290). Therefore, this study confirms that hemorheological parameters are influenced by blood lipids, that changes in plasma viscosity are correlated to those of aerobic capacity, and that abdominal fat mass is associated with a worsening of blood rheology and of exercise performance. By contrast, gluteal fat (a factor associated with favorable lipid profile and high insulin sensitivity) is associated with a decrease in plasma viscosity, and fat-free mass is associated with higher blood viscosity and hematocrit, consistent with recent literature linking its size in abdominal obesity with a deleterious metabolic profile.

Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, body fluids, hematocrit, blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, hemorheology, erythrocyte aggregation, fat mass, fat-free mass, gluteal fat

DOI: 10.3233/CH-2011-1471

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 49, no. 1-4, pp. 215-223, 2011