BLOOD VISCOSITY IN PATIENTS WITH DIFFUSE LARGE B CELL NON-HODGKIN’S LYMPHOMA

Utkan G., Tek I., Kocer M., Muallaoglu S., Durnali A.G., Arslan U.Y., Celenkoglu G., Tokluoglu S., Alkis N.

The aim of the study was to evaluate blood viscosity as possible marker of disease progression in patients with newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Methods: The viscosity of blood samples from 20 patients with newly diagnosed aggressive NHL (stage I, n = 7; stage II, n = 4; stage III, n = 7; stage IV, n = 2) was analyzed using Brookfield DV-II + (USA) machine. Results: Blood viscosity in NHL patients (median: 5.5 ± 1.46 miliPascal) inversely correlated with lactatdehydrogenase (LDH) level, international prognostic index (IPI) score, and stage (p = 0.02, r= –0.51; p = 0.03, r= –0.63; and p = 0.04, r= –0.45, respectively) and positively correlated with hemoglobin level (p = 0.02, r = 0.65)). Conclusion: According to our data, blood viscosity may be considered as a follow up marker in NHL patients along with LDH level or sedimentation rate.