Viscosity, Serum

Lab Name

Viscosity, Serum

Lab Code

SRVISG

Epic Name

Viscosity, Serum

Description

Viscosity is the property of fluids to resist flow. Serum, plasma or whole blood viscosity measurements can be useful in patients with hyperviscosity syndromes due to multiple myeloma or Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Results are reported as a relative viscosity to water, where normal serum and plasma have a relative viscosity of up to 1.6. Although viscosities >1.6 are abnormal, hyperviscosity syndromes are rarely present unless the relative viscosity is >4.0 (approximately). The most common cause of serum hyperviscosity is the presence of large concentrations of IgM monoclonal proteins, and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia accounts for 80% to 90% of symptomatic hyperviscosity cases. Hyperviscosity syndrome can also occur in multiple myeloma patients, and, rarely, in patients with rheumatoid factors and other aggregating proteins.

References

Chandler WL and Schmer G, Evaluation of a new dynamic viscometer for measuring the viscosity of whole blood and plasma, Clin Chem (1986) 32:505.

Components