[Thromboxane A2 production in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications]

Thromboxane B2, a stable metabolite of thromboxane A2, was studied in type 2 diabetic patients to evaluate the role played by prostaglandins in the onset of vascular complications.

The study was carried out in 30 subjects, 20 of whom were diabetics and 10 controls. Thromboxane B2 was assayed using the "Biotrak Thromboxane B2" kit.

In the first group of control subjects, the mean value of TXB2 was 6.39 +/- 0.89 pg/ml; in the second group, including diabetic patients without vascular complications, TXB2 levels were 8.89 +/- 1.51; in the third, consisting of diabetic patients with microangiopathy, the mean level was 46.28 +/- 6.82; in the fourth, including patients with micro- and macroangiopathy, the mean level was 98.78 +/- 17.15; the fifth group, with a mean value of 41.00 +/- 9.86, included diabetic patients with cerebral vasculopathy. Thromboxane B2 was correlated with glycemia but the results were not statistically significant (r = 0.28; p < 0.05). The correlation with the years since onset of diabetes was positive and statistically significant (r = 0.49; p < 0.05).

In conclusion, the authors emphasise that TXB2 is present in the circulation in diabetes in steadily increasing quantities over time since the onset of diabetes, leading to chronic vasoconstriction which in turn leads to a deterioration of vascular lesions in the districts where hypoglycemia has already caused the activation of neurotransmitter hormones with consequent slowing down of the blood flow and progressive tissue hypoxia.