Abstract
To evaluate platelet activity in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we measured the mean platelet volume (MPV) and 24-hour urinary excretion of 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 (11-dTXB2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-kPGF1α), stable metabolites of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin, respectively. The MPV of the 103 subjects in the NIDDM group were 10.72 ±0.82 fl for males and 10.52 ±1.01 fl for females (mean ± SD), significantly higher than those of normal controls (9.95 ± 0.75 fl for males and 9.84 ± 0.72 fI for females). The MPV of patients with NIDDM showed positive correlations with fasting plasma glucose level and HbA1c (r = 0.234, P < 0.05 ; r = 0.267, P < 0.01, respective-ly). The urinary excretion of 11-dTXB2 was greater in the NIDDM group (7.58±4.42 μg/day for males and 5.65 ± 2.38 μg/day for females) than in the normal controls (4.61± 2.31 and 3.83±1.60, respectively), suggesting that the synthesis of thromboxane A2 by platelets may be accelerated in vivo in patients with NIDDM. The urinary 6-kPGF1α, was not different between the NIDDM group and normal controls among the males. but was greater in the NIDDM group among the females. As MPV showed a positive correlation (r = 0.364, P < 0.05) with urinary excretion of 11-dTXB2, MPV may be related to platelet activity. These findings suggest that the platelets of patients with NIDDM may be in a hyperactive state. J Atheroscier Thromb, 1994 ; 1 : 108-112.
