INCREASED PLASMA THROMBIN-ANTITHROMBIN-III COMPLEX LEVELS IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETIC-PATIENTS WITH ALBUMINURIA ARE REDUCED BY ETHYL ICOSAPENTATENOATE

Hypercoagulability may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CV D) in diabetic patients with albuminuria. Plasma thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) levels, representing a functional state of clotting system, were studied in one hundred and fifteen non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) patients. The patients were divided into three group s according to the urine albumin index (UAI: mg/g Cr): Group A; UAI<30 , Group B; 30<UAI<300, Group C; UAI>300. The effect of albuminuria on plasma TAT levels was significant (p<0.02). Ethyl icosapentatenoate (E PA: 1800 mg/day) for 4 weeks significantly (p<0.0005) decreased plasma TAT levels. These data indicate that the degree of diabetic albuminur ia is related to plasma TAT levels in NIDDM patients and that treatmen t with EPA may reduce TAT levels and possibly therefore the rate of de velopment of CVD in patients with NIDDM.