[Hemostatic studies in decompensated diabetes mellitus]

In 35 patients with decompensated diabetes mellitus the following hemostatic indices were studied: glycohemoglobin, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, fibrin monomers (determined by protamine sulfate test), fibrinogen and platelet count. A statistically significant decrease of the prothrombin time (p less than 0.001) and of the partial thromboplastin time (p less than 0.001) was found. Glycohemoglobin was significantly increased in all patients. The remaining indices were in the normal ranges. A syndrome of increased latent coagulability emerges which explains the tendency to thromboembolism in diabetes.