Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31129792›Full record

ArticleClinical rheumatology2020

Whole blood viscosity in systemic sclerosis: a potential biomarker of pulmonary hypertension?

Bihter Senturk, Bahri Akdeniz, Mehmet Birhan Yilmaz, Buse Ozcan Kahraman, Burak Acar, Sadettin Uslu, Merih Birlik

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Clinical rheumatology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 22% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in pulmonary hypertension: A systematic review.Sarcoidosis, vasculitis, and diffuse lung diseases : official journal of WASOG · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. [Ethiology, risk factors and Whole blood viscosity index in thromboembolic venous disease].Revista medica del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social · 2023
    Observational
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. A New Score for Determining Thrombus Burden in STEMI Patients: The MAPH Score.Clinical and applied thrombosis/hemostasis : official journal of the International Academy of Clinical and Applied Thrombosis/Hemostasis
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Bihter SenturkDepartment of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey. drbihter@hotmail.com.
Bahri AkdenizDepartment of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
Mehmet Birhan YilmazDepartment of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
Buse Ozcan KahramanSchool of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
Burak AcarDepartment of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey.
Sadettin UsluDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
Merih BirlikDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey.
Dokuz Eylül University · TRKocaeli Üniversitesi · TR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveOur goal was to determine if whole blood viscosity (WBV) can be used to predict the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

methodsPatients with SSc were analyzed. Out of 107 patients, 26 patients, found to have confirmed diagnosis of PAH, were classified as those with (n = 26, PAH group) and without PAH (n = 81, non-PAH group). We calculated estimated WBV at both high (HSR) and low shear rates (LSR) from hematocrit and total serum protein levels.

resultsTotal protein levels were significantly higher and the anti-centromere antibody (ACA) was more frequent in the PAH group. Furthermore, anti-topoisomerase antibody (anti-scl-70) was significantly less frequent in the PAH group. The WBV values were significantly higher at HSR (16.68 ± 0.38 vs. 16.24 ± 0.58; p < 0.001) and at LSR (51.81 ± 7.21 vs. 42.97 ± 11.76; p < 0.001) in PAH group. The multivariate analysis revealed that the WBV at both shear rates independently designated the presence of PAH in SSc patients. The ROC curve showed that the sensitivity and specificity of LSR and HSR were 92.3% and 61.7% (AUC 0.759, p < 0.001), and 88.5% and 65.4% (AUC 0.770, p < 0.001) with a cutoff value of 43.56 and 16.32 for WBV, respectively.

conclusionHigher WBV levels in SSc patients were an independent indicator for PAH development in this cohort. WBV-LSR and WBV-HSR values might help exclude the PAH possibility in patients diagnosed with SSc and remain as an independently associated biomarker for follow-up of these patients for future risk of PAH development. Findings remain to be confirmed by other cohorts.Key Points• The most important cause of morbidity and mortality in systemic sclerosis patients is considered to be pulmonary arterial hypertension.• When the symptoms of PAH are not recognized earlier in the course of the SSc, the prognosis might be worse.• Higher whole blood viscosity levels in scleroderma patients with PAH was an independent indicator for PAH development.

Indexed as

Blood ViscosityAdultAgedBiomarkersEchocardiographyFemaleHematocritHumansLogistic ModelsMaleMiddle AgedMultivariate AnalysisPrognosisPulmonary Arterial HypertensionRetrospective StudiesROC CurveBiomarkersPulmonary arterial hypertensionSystemic sclerosisWhole blood viscosity

Identifiers

PMID31129792
OpenAlexW2946652806

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.