HYPERAGGREGATION OF PLATELETS DETECTED BY WHOLE-BLOOD PLATELET AGGREGOMETRY IN NEWLY-DIAGNOSED NONINSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Twenty-five newly diagnosed cases of noninsulin-dependent diabetes mel litus were studied at the time of diagnosis and again after metabolic control of diabetes was achieved (approximately 3 months later) for pl atelet aggregation abnormalities in whole blood by the impedance metho d. Adenosine diphosphate in 10 and 20 mumol/L final concentrations and arachidonic acid in 25 and 50 mmol/L final concentrations were used a s agonists. Patients had a significant hyperaggregation of platelets ( P < 0.01) at the time of diagnosis compared with age-matched healthy c ontrol subjects. After metabolic control of blood glucose was achieved using oral hypoglycemic agents (n = 20) and diet regulation alone (n = 5), there was a significant decrease in platelet aggregation (p < 0. 01). There was a positive relationship between blood glucose levels an d whole blood platelet aggregation with adenosine diphosphate (P < 0.0 2 and < 0.05, with 10 mumol/L and 20 mumol/L, respectively), but there was no relationship between aggregation and glycosylated hemoglobin l evels. Thus, platelet hyperaggregation was present even at the time of diagnosis in patients with diabetes mellitus in the absence of any va scular complications, and there was significant improvement in platele t hyperaggregation after metabolic control of blood glucose levels was achieved.