Thrombin-antithrombin activity and C1-inactivator in type I diabetics

ABSTRACT

Previous studies on Diabetes mellitus Type 1 ended in a controversy as to whether there was an increased or decreased fibrinolysis. Also whether fibrinolysis if present was primary or secondary to a hypercoagulable state. The results of screening tests of fibrinolysis are frequently indecisive. C[1]-Inactivator [C[1]-1] [%] as inhibitor of fibrinolysis and thrombin anti-throbmin [TA T] [ug/ml] complex as a sensitive index of the coagulation cascade were determined in 41 male patients with type I diabetes mellitus without complications and in 25 patients of the same disease with microvascular complications [retinopathy, nephropathy and/or neuropathy]. The effect of duration of the disease and the response of the disease to control, were studied. In spite of the fact that screening results of fibrinolysis were not decisive, C[1] -1 and TA T were specific and indicative. TA T was higher in complicated cases [m 9.7 +/- 2.1 SD] than in non-complicated ones [m 5.6 +/- 2.7 SD]; and in uncontrolled complicated cases [m 11.3 +/- 3.0 SD] than in controlled ones [m 9.7 +/- 2.1 SD]. The effect of control was evident also in non-complicated cases where TAT was higher in uncontrolled [m 6.2 +/- 1.9 SD] versus controlled ones [5.6 +/- 2.7 SD]. The longer the duration of the disease the higher the level of TA T, where it was [m 7.2 +/- 2.1 SD] in 1-2 yrs duration and reached m 10.2 +/- 3.1 SD in 5-9 yrs duration. C[1]-l was also higher in complicated diabetes [m 118.6. +/- 18.5 SD] than in non-complicated cases [m 107.5 +/- 16.0 SD] and in both complicated uncontrolled cases [116.3 +/- 15.0 SD] than in complicated controlled ones [118.6 +/- 18.5 SD] also in non-complicated uncontrolled cases [m 115.0 +/- 18.8 SD] than in controlled ones [m 107.5 +/- 160 SD]. The results point to an increased rate of fibrinolysis in response to increased hypercoagulable state in type I Diabetes Mellitus and this is more accentuated the longer the duration of the diseases and that both improve on a better control of the disease