The present study aimed at testing a possible relationship between hemorrheologic factors, such as hematocrit, fibrinogen, and whole-blood viscosity, and insulin sensitivity in healthy humans. Twenty-one 21-year-old men were studied with the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp technique. We found statistically significant negative correlations between the glucose disposal rate (GDR) and calculated whole-blood viscosity at both high (r = -.55, P = .01) and low (r = -.51, P = .01) shear rates. We observed negative associations between GDR and fibrinogen (r = -.66, P = .002), GDR and hematocrit (r = -.63, P = .002), GDR and body mass index (r = -.51, P = .007), and GDR and resting heart rate (r = -.46, P = .04). Using stepwise multiple regression considering whole-blood viscosity, body mass index, mean arterial blood pressure, and heart rate as independent variables, we found that only whole-blood viscosity and body mass index were independent explanatory variables of the GDR. Together they accounted for 63% of the variability in the GDR in our subjects. These results suggest hemorrheologic, and therefore indirectly hemodynamic, factors as correlates to insulin sensitivity.
