Enhanced platelet release reaction in insulin-dependent and insulin-independent diabetic patients.

Plasma beta thromboglobulin (BTG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) levels were measured and correlated with plasma lipid and lipoprotein patterns in 20 insulin-independent diabetics, in 10 insulin-dependent diabetics and in 30 healthy controls matched to patients as to age, sex and weight. Increased plasma BTG and PF4 levels both in insulin-dependent and in insulin-independent diabetics indicate enhanced in vivo platelet activation and release reaction in these patients. No difference in BTG and PF4 values between these two groups of diabetic patients was observed in our study. A marked correlation between plasma PF4 values and plasma glucose levels was shown in insulin-dependent diabetics only whereas a significant positive correlation with plasma triglycerides and plasma triglyceride VLDL and a negative correlation with cholesterol-HDL was shown in insulin-independent diabetics.