Platelet aggregation in type two diabetes mellitus and its relationship with lipoprotein levels

The relationship between in vitro platelet aggregation and plasma lipoprotein concentrations, in 32 type hive non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients and 32 healthy subjects, was studied. An increase in the fasting plasma glucose and serum fructosamine concentrations in NIDDM patients was determined. No significant difference was found between platelet counts of the diabetic and control groups, but platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), epinephrine and collagen were significantly higher than in healthy controls. Plasma total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride levels were significantly higher, and the plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level was significantly lower than the controls. In vitro platelet aggregation induced by ADP, epinephrine and collagen correlated positively with LDL-C levels and the LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in both groups, and negatively with HDL-C levels in the diabetic group.