Abstract
Parameters of fibrinolysis, including plasminogen, α2 plasmin-inhibitor (α2 PI), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigens, and fibrinogen were assayed in 53 patients (28 women and 27 men; mean age: 64 years, age range: 32∼87 years) with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The control group was similarly aged (mean age: 60.4 years, age range: 38∼81). The levels of t-PA and t-PA/PAI-1 ratio of the diabetic group (mean±SD; 9.8±4.3ng/ml, 0.94±0.47, respectively) were significantly higher than that of the control group (5.5±2.5ng/ml, 0.51±0.23, respectively). The increased levels of t-PA antigen and t-PA/PAI-1 ratio in diabetics mean that free t-PA has been released. However, there was no significant difference in the level of PAI-1 between the diabetic group (12.9±6.4ng/ml) and the control group (12.1±5.6ng/ml). Levels of fibrinogen, plasminogen and α2 PI in plasma were not different in the two groups. Duration of the disease, levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, differences in treatment and presense of diabetic nephropathy or retinopathy did not affect the fibrinolytic parameters. The levels of fibrinogen was higher in those with nephropathy than in the diabetics without nephropathy and retinopathy (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of t-PA, t-PA/PAI-1 ratio and PAI-1 between younger (less than 65 years) and older (65 years or more) subjects, in either the control or diabetic groups. From these results, it is concluded that fibrinolytic activity in patients with type II diabetes mellitus is enhanced, although the mechanism has not been elucidated.
