CORRELATION OF PLASMA FIBRINOGEN LEVELS WITH VARIABLES IN PATIENTS OF TYPE-II DIABETES MELLITUS WITH MICROVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is considered as hypercoagulable state, where hypercoagulability of blood result in acceleration of atherosclerosis and diabetic microvascular complications. Three recognized diabetic microvascular complications include diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate association of plasma fibrinogen levels with other variables in patients with any of the three-recognized diabetic microvascular complications: diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy or diabetic nephropathy. Methods: 104 patients of T2DM from in Medical unit-II and ophthalmology ward, Services Hospital, Lahore from April to October 2017 were included in present study. The patients were divided into two groups of 52 patients each. Group 1 comprised of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients without any diabetic microvascular complications and Group II: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients with any of three recognized diabetic microvascular complications: diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy and diabetic retinopathy (52 patients). Plasma fibrinogen levels, blood sugar fasting (BSF), HbA1c and BMI were evaluated in all patients. Results: Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, applied for measuring correlation of variables, showed statistically significant correlation (P < 0.05) of BSF r = 0.39; HbA1c r = 0.48 to plasma fibrinogen in patients with any of the three diabetic microvascular complications. Conclusion: Higher fibrinogen levels (Clotting factor I) in plasma contribute significantly to establishment of microvascular complications in type-II diabetes mellitus patients. Fibrinogen levels were positively correlated with HbA1c and blood sugar fasting.

Keywords

• Plasma fibrinogen
• microvascular complications
• diabetes mellitus