Hemostatic function tests associated with diabetic microangiopathy.

To study the possible role of an increased thrombotic tendency in the vascular complications of diabetes, several tests of hemostatic function were carried out on 91 men and 63 women aged 35-54 years with diabetes and the results compared with findings of 683 men and 393 women of the same age in the Northwick Park Heart Study. Mean values for factor VII, fibrinogen, antithrombin III and platelet adhesiveness were higher in the diabetics, but mean fibrinolytic activity was lower, particularly in the noninsulin-dependent group. Diabetics with retinopathy had higher factor VII and antithrombin III values, and those with proteinuria had higher values for factor VII, fibrinogen and platelet adhesiveness than those without these complications. These findings suggest a potentially important association between a thrombotic tendency and microangiopathy in diabetics, but prospective studies are needed to clarify whether the association is a casual one.