Whole blood viscosity is associated with reduced myocardial mechano‐energetic efficiency in nondiabetic individuals.

Introduction: This cross‐sectional study aimed to investigate the association between myocardial mechano‐energetic efficiency (MEE) and whole blood viscosity (WBV) in nondiabetic adults participating in the CATAnzaro MEtabolic RIsk factors (CATAMERI) study. Methods: 1143 participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test and an echocardiogram for myocardial MEE per gram of left ventricular mass (MEEi) measurement. WBV was measured as: [0.12 × h] + [0.17 × (p‐2.07)], where h is haematocrit and p is plasma protein levels. Results: Study population includes 595 males and 548 females with a mean age of 46 ± 12 years and a mean BMI of 30.0 ± 6.2 kg/m2. Individuals with normal glucose tolerance were 63%, while those with impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and or the combination of both were 14.3%, 13% and 9.7%, respectively. A univariate analysis showed that MEEi was significantly associated with sex, age, smoking, BMI, waist circumference, total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA‐IR index, glucose tolerance, C‐reactive protein, haematocrit, haemoglobin, plasma protein and WBV. In a multivariable regression model including variables that were significantly associated with MEEi in univariate analysis, MEEi was associated with HOMA‐IR (β = −0.144, p <.001), age (β = −0.140, p <.001), WBV (β = −0.129, p <.001) and glucose tolerance (β = −0.064, p =.04). The independent association between WBV and MEEi remained statistically significant (β = −0.122, p <.001) when antihypertensive therapy and lipid‐lowering therapy were included in the model. Conclusion: WBV is associated with decreased myocardial MEE independently of other cardiovascular risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]