A Study of Plasma Fibrinogen Level in Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus and its Relation to Glycemic Control

The high prevalence of classic cardiac risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus does not explain the increased cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality in these patients. Fibrinogen may have a role in this excess risk. This study is undertaken to know the fibrinogen levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its relations to glycemic control. In the present study fibrinogen levels (Clauss method) were estimated in 100 type 2 diabetic subjects and 100 age and sex matched controls. Fibrinogen was correlated with various parameters like glycosylated hemoglobin (cation exchange resin method), age, sex, smoking, body mass index (kg/m(2)), hypertension and ischemic heart disease. Higher plasma fibrinogen levels were found in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (656 +/- 130 mg/dl) as compared to controls (324 +/- 139 mg/dl) which were statistically significant. Fibrinogen levels were associated with age (P < 0.01), hypertension (P < 0.01), body mass index (P < 0.01), smoking (P < 0.01), ischemic heart disease (P < 0.01), and glycosylated hemoglobin (r = 0.49) in diabetics in a significant manner. But no correlation was found with sex (P < 0.05) in diabetes. In controls, association was found between fibrinogen levels and smoking (P < 0.01) and body mass index (P < 0.01). Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had a high prevalence of hyperfibrinogenemia. Fibrinogen levels were independently associated with hemoglobin A1c values, which suggests that fibrinogen may be involved in the increased cardiovascular risk of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.