Alteration of hemostatic and hemorheological parameters in Nigerian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Does age play a role?

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus has been associated with coagulation abnormalities characterized by decreased levels of antithrombin, protein C, increased concentrations of fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor, and alteration of hemorheological indices, which have been linked to the increased hyperviscosity state. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of age on hemostatic and hemorheological parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: Eighty-four patients of 168 participants, aged 30–69 years, were recruited from the Metabolic Clinic of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State between January and December 2018, whereas the remaining 84, age- and sex-matched nondiabetic subjects resident in Maiduguri served as controls. Samples for platelet indices, fibrinogen concentration, hematocrit, relative plasma viscosity (RPV), whole blood viscosity (WBV), protein C, antithrombin, and d-dimer were analyzed using standard techniques. Results: The values of platelet indices, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), protein C, antithrombin, d-dimer, fibrinogen, hematocrit, and RPV in diabetic patients with respect to different age groups showed no significance (P > 0.05). However, significantly lower levels of protein C, antithrombin and hematocrit, and significantly higher values of d-dimer, fibrinogen, and WBV were observed in patients with diabetes irrespective of the age compared to that of nondiabetic subjects (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Age had no influence on the values of platelet count, platelet indices, PT, aPTT, protein C, antithrombin III, d-dimer, fibrinogen, hematocrit, RPV, and WBV in patients with diabetes. However, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus could be prone to thrombosis and increased fibrinolytic activity irrespective of their age.