To study levels of serum fibrinogen in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its association with diabetic microvascular complications

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a hypercoagulable state associated with atherosclerosis leading to development of vascular complications, including microvascular complications.Methods: In our study a total of 60 diabetic patients with duration of diabetes more than 5 years, attending the OPD/ indoor of SGRDIMSR, Amritsar, Punjaqqb, India were included. They were divided in two groups, group A of 30 patients including diabetics with any of the three microvascular complications (diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic neuropathy) and group B of 30 patients including diabetics without any microvascular complication. Group C comprised of 30 age and sex matched non-diabetic subjects who served as controls. Subjects with liver cirrhosis, malignancy or coagulation disorder were excluded. After taking the consent, detailed history taking and detailed physical examination and relevant investigations were done. The serum fibrinogen (hemostasis marker), HBA1C and UACR (urine albumin creatinine ratio) along with routine investigations were measured.Results: It was observed that serum fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in diabetic patients (266.16±54.73 mg/dl) as compared to non-diabetic controls (174.66±18.32 mg/dl); p <0.001.Further, serum fibrinogen levels were found to be significantly higher in diabetic patients with microvascular complications (293.43±51.09 mg/dl) as compared to those without microvascular complications (238.90±44.12); p<0.001.Conclusions: Significantly high serum fibrinogen level was found in diabetic patients as compared to controls and was in positive correlation with development of microvascular complications.