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Do platelets have anything to do with diabetic microvascular disease?
J A Colwell1, P D Winocour, P V Halushka
1Charleston VA Medical Center, South Carolina 29403.
Diabetes
|May 1, 1983
Summary
Abnormal platelet and endothelial function may cause microvascular complications in diabetes. These changes, favoring thrombosis, occur early and may contribute to the disease
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Vascular Biology
- Hematology
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is associated with microvascular complications.
- Abnormal platelet and endothelial function are postulated to contribute to diabetic microangiopathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate early alterations in platelet and endothelial function in diabetes mellitus.
- To determine if these functional changes precede vascular disease development.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on platelet aggregation, thromboxane and prostacyclin production, and platelet survival in diabetic patients and animal models.
- Analysis of platelet-plasma interactions and beta-thromboglobulin levels.
- Examination of retinal microvasculature in experimental diabetes models.
Main Results:
- Increased platelet aggregation, thromboxane production, and decreased prostacyclin production and platelet survival are observed in diabetes.
- Platelet-plasma interactions and elevated beta-thromboglobulin are present even before vascular complications manifest.
- Platelet microthrombi are found in retinal vessels of diabetic animal models.
Conclusions:
- Functional alterations in platelets and endothelium favoring thrombosis occur early in diabetes.
- These early changes may play a significant role in the development of diabetic microvascular disease.
- Further clinical studies with antiplatelet agents are needed to validate this hypothesis.