Comparison of Platelet Aggregability in Japanese Type 2 Diabetic Patients With and Without Microalbuminuria

Microalbuminuria is associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. This study was designed to assess whether Type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria (urinary albumin excretion rate (AER) 20-200 microgram min-1) is associated with alterations in platelet aggregability as compared with those with normal urinary albumin excretion (AER < 20 microgram min-1). Platelet aggregability was compared between 21 Japanese Type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria and 21 individually pair-matched (for age, sex, body mass index, treatment, and HbA1c level) patients with normoalbuminuria. The in vitro platelet aggregation induced by 1.0 and 3.0 mumol l-1 ADP and 0.5 and 1.0 mg l-1 collagen was measured using platelet-rich plasma. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in the values for maximum percent platelet aggregation, percent aggregation at 3 min, and aggregation velocities after adding ADP or collagen. Microalbuminuric patients had significantly higher mean values for systolic (p < 0.004) and diastolic (p < 0.02) blood pressures and plasma fibrinogen level (p < 0.03) as compared with the respective mean values in normoalbuminuric patients. The results suggest that Japanese microalbuminuric Type 2 diabetic patients do not differ in the degree of platelet aggregability as compared with normoalbuminuric patients, despite an increase in certain other coronary risk factors.