Association of mean platelet volume with glycemic control and macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients.

Diabetes is a major global health problem. Vascular complications of diabetes include both macro-vascular and micro-vascular pathologies. Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) is an indicator of average size and activity of platelets. Platelet hyper-reactivity is a characteristic feature of diabetes and it plays a pivotal role in its overall prothrombotic state. A cross-sectional analytical study was carried out on 88 cases of type 2 diabetic patients presented to Yangon General Hospital and New Yangon General Hospital during 2013. Glycemic control was detected by HbA1C and MPV was measured. The subjects were interviewed and assessed for family history of diabetes, duration of diabetes, body mass index and presence of macro-vascular complications. Among the 88 patients in the study, majority of them were in the 60 - 69 years age group. Mean age was 64 years. Sex distribution was equal among the selected 88 patients. Macro-vascular complications such as cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease and peripheral vascular disease were found in 28.4%, 55.68% and 19.32% respectively. Mean MPV was 8.45 fl and it had a significant association with HbA1C (p = 0.0367). However, no signifi cant association was found between MPV and the presence of macro-vascular complications (p = 0.462).

Urinary fibrin(-ogen) degradation products in pregnancy associated hypertension

The relationship between the urinary fibrin(-ogen) degradation products (FOP) and high blood pressure and other features like proteinuria and oedema were studied in 42 cases of pregnancy associated hypertension (PAH) and/or pre- eclampsia (PE). Urinary FOP were detected in 64.3 per cent of cases. All cases with systolic blood pressure> 180 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure> 100 mmHg showed FOP in urine in various concentrations. In 91 per cent of cases with protenuria more than 2+ urinary FOP was also detected. In some cases with no proteinuria FOP was found. There was no definite relationship between severity of oedema and urinary FOP level. When a patient is under treatment and responding well to that treatment urinary FOP level also becomes reduced or undetectable.

Serum fibrin (-ogen) degradation products (FDP) in toxaemia of pregnancy

The relationship between the levels of FDP in the serum, blood pressure and the severity of other features of toxaemia of pregnancy were studied in 42 patients with pregnancy-associated hypertension and/or pre-eclampsia (PE). Serum FDP levels were found to be elevated in 88 per cent of cases but not related to the severity of the clinical manifestations of toxaemia in pregnancy. It was elevated in cases with normal systolic blood pressure as well as in cases with no proteinuria. Subsequent serum FDP concentrations fell to normal along with the treatment in all cases. Serum FDP determination was suggested to include in investigation of severe cases of PE as a sensitive index for the diagnosis as well as for the assessment of response to treatment.