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Increased red cell aggregation in diabetes mellitus: association with cardiovascular risk factors
S M MacRury1, S E Lennie, P McColl
1Diabetic Unit Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
Insights
Diabetic patients show higher red cell aggregation, a factor linked to cardiovascular disease. This study found increased aggregation in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, correlating with risk factors like high triglycerides.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Elevated red cell aggregation is observed in diabetic patients.
- This phenomenon may contribute to the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate red cell aggregation levels in diabetic patients.
- To determine the relationship between red cell aggregation and cardiovascular risk factors in diabetes.
Main Methods:
- Photometric measurement of red cell aggregation.
- Study included 122 diabetic patients (Type 1 and Type 2) and 100 matched controls.
- Analysis of correlations with cardiovascular risk factors including lipids, BMI, hypertension, and smoking.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased red cell aggregation in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients compared to controls.
- Aggregation correlated with triglycerides, VLDL, and inversely with HDL in all diabetic patients.
- In Type 2 diabetes, aggregation also correlated with body mass index, hypertension, and inversely with diabetes duration; smoking was independently associated.
Conclusions:
- Increased red cell aggregation is a significant finding in diabetic populations.
- This heightened aggregation may serve as a mechanism linking cardiovascular risk factors to cardiovascular disease development in diabetes.
Abstract:
Red cell aggregation may be higher in diabetic patients and may predispose to cardiovascular disease. Red cell aggregation was measured by a simple photometric method in 122 diabetic patients and 100 matched control subjects, to determine its relationship to cardiovascular risk factors. Red cell aggregation was significantly increased in both Type 1 (4.3 +/- 1.3 vs 3.4 +/- 1.2, p < 0.002) and Type 2 diabetic patients (5.5 +/- 1.5 vs 3.2 +/- 1.3, p < 0.0001). In all diabetic patients aggregation correlated with triglycerides, VLDL, and inversely with HDL and in Type 2 diabetic patients also with body mass index, hypertension, and inversely with duration of diabetes. On multiple regression analysis, triglycerides and body mass index showed an independent association with red cell aggregation and in Type 2 diabetic patients smoking was also associated with increased red cell aggregation. It is concluded that increased red cell aggregation may be one mechanism by which some cardiovascular risk factors could promote cardiovascular disease in diabetes.