Vol. 32, Nos. 2-3 Free Communications 265

F 8 3 . R E G U L A R I , E I S U R E T I M E P H Y S I C A L A C T I V I T Y A N D R E D U C E D I N C I D E N C E IN C O R O N A R Y H E A R T D I S E A S E : W H I C H M E C H A N I S M S A R E I N V O L V E D ? P O T E N T I A L ROI .F . O F P L A S M A V I S C O S I T Y

W. KOENIG, M. SUND, A. DORING, U. H,g~RTEL, AND E. ERNST

Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany

Regular physical activity is inversely associated with coronary heart disease (CHD). This has been mainly explained by its impact on traditional CHD risk factors, but more recently it was also shown to lower fibrinogen levels. We studied the relationship between self-reported regular leisure time physical activity and plasma viscosity as well as other CHD risk factors in 3521 men and women (25-64 years), who participated in the first cross-sectional survey of the MONICA-Augsburg project in 1984/85. Physical activity was assessed by questionnaire and subjects were categorized into physically active versus inactive. Plasma viscosity was measured at 37°C by a Coulter Harkness Viscometer. Regular physical activity was associated with lower plasma viscosity in both sexes across all age groups. The unadjusted difference of the means was 0.019 mPa.s (95%-CI 0.002-0.026 mPa.s, p<0.001) in men and 0.027 mPa.s (95%-CI 0.021-0.034 mPa.s, p<0.001) in women. After adjusting for potential confounders, differences of the means decreased by appr. 50%, but still remained significant (men 0.009 mPa-s, 95%-CI 0.002-0.015 mPa.s, p<0.013; women 0.013 mPa.s, 95 CI 0.006-0.019 mPa.s, p<0.001). Interaction of leisure time activity with education was found in men; in women, an interaction remained with age and one with smoking. Regular physical activity is therefore associated with lower plasma viscosity, partly independent of other risk factors. This is consistent with its effect on fibrinogen. Decreased plasma viscosity may represent one mechanism through which regular physical activity confers benefit on CHD risk.

F84. S I G N I F I C A N C E O F R B C D E F O R M A B I I . I T Y O N A C U T E M Y O C A R D I A L I N F A R C T I O N A N D C E R E B R A L I N F A R C T I O N

W.-C. QI, J.-N. C A t ANDJ.-R. XIE

Department of Hematology, First Central Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300192, China

By using an FM-4 RBC Filtermeter, we measured the RBC deformability of patients with acute ischemic cardiac and cerebral vascular diseases, including 45 cases of acute myocardial infarction, 50 cerebral infarction, 50 Diabetes Mellitus and 37 normal controls. In the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group, we compared the results of RBC deformability between acute phases and convalescent period. The results showed that the RBC deformability was significantly decreased in acute myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and Diabetes groups compared with normal groups (p<0.01, p<0.01 and p<0.01, respectively). The RBC deformability in the convalescent period of AMI showed a significant improvement compared with acute phases, but was lower than the normal group. There was a linear correlation between the RBC deformability and high or low shear rate blood viscosity in the group of AMI

266 Free Communications Vol. 32, Nos. 2-3

(r=-0.61, p<0.001, r=0.34, p<0.05). The author emphasizes that it is important to improve RBC deformability and microcirculation in the treatment of AMI, cerebral infarction and Diabetes Mellitus.

F 8 5 . I N V I T R O E F F E C T S O F V A R I O U S C L A S S 1 A N T I A R R H Y T H M I C D R U G S O N R E D B L O O D C E L L D E F O R M A B I L I T Y IN I S C H E M I C H E A R T D I S E A S E

K. SALBAS, N. ULKI'I" AND N. AKSUt

Med. School of Ankara University, Department of Cardiology, Ankara, Turkey

tHospital of Ministry of Education, Ankara, Turkey

Class 1 antiarrhythmic drugs have been reported to have protective effect on ischemic heart. The red blood cells (RBCs) in ischemic heart diseases have been shown to be less deformable. In this study we examined i n v i t r o effects of various Class 1 antiarrhythmic drugs on RBC deformability. 13 outpatients (seven male, six female, mean +SD of age 41.2+5.8, all non-smokers) having ischemic heart disease served as ischemic group. 13 apparendy healthy age- and sex-matched non-smoker volunteers served as control group. RBCs were isolated from anticoagulated venous blood samples and resuspended in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to yield a hematocrit of 10%. The RBC solution of the ischemic was divided into six portions; one portion served as the normal state of the ischemic group, while one of each of the rest contained 20 laM disopyramide, 15 [aM lidocaine, 6 ~tM mexiletine, 1 p.M flecainide, and 2.5 laM propafenone. RBC deformability was assessed in terms of filtration time of 0.5 ml of RBC suspension by gravity driven microfiltration (through 5JaM diameter pores) technique and expressed as relative filterability (RF), i .e . ,

rate of flow of RBC suspension/rate of flow of PBS. The results are:

Group State RF+SD Exposure p value Time

Control

Ischem~c

Ischemlc

Ischemlc

Ischemlc

Ischemic

Ischemic

Normal 0.58+0.037

Normal 0.802+0.035

Disopyramide 0.840+0.033 20 rain

Lidocaine 0.835+0.026 25 rain

Mexiletine 0.024_+0.047 20 rain

Flecainide 0.833+0.025 30 rain

Propafenone 0.851+0.026 30 min

<0.005 v s control

<0.005 v s control

<0.002 v s control

<0.005 v s control

<0.005 v s control

<0.005 v s control

Our results showed that the RBCs are significantly less deformable in ischemic heart disease and tile Class 1 antiarrhythmic drugs used in this study diminish the adverse effect of this disease on RBC deformability significantly, suggesting that this beneficial effect may have a role in Class 1 antiarrhythmic drug- induced myocardial protection in ischemia.