![]() In conditions of low flow velocities, the cellular component occupies the entire column of flowing blood, causing an increase in viscosity. Specifically, when the flow velocity is high, the cellular component of blood (red cells, white cells, and platelets) is concentrated at the center of the vessel, while the plasma flows in the periphery. First, it is useful to underline that the blood is a non-Newtonian fluid, in that its viscosity varies with the flow velocity. However, the relationship between blood glucose, diabetes, and viscosity may be much more complex. Overall, changes in viscosity in diabetic patients are accepted as common and as a result of the disease. Once retinopathy has developed, its progression may be favored by a reduction in BV and hemoglobin ( 33). Important increases in BV have been reported in diabetic retinopathy, and it has been hypothesized that these changes lead to a prolonged reduction in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the capillaries, causing the development of angiopathy ( 31, 32). Some findings have suggested a role for the increase in BV as a pathogenetic factor for the development of microvascular complications ( 29, 30). Usually, however, these studies were performed in small groups of patients, often only at few shear rates, and sometimes did not demonstrate any difference between diabetic and control subjects ( 27, 28). Many studies thus far have investigated BV in patients with diabetes ( 26). ![]()
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