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Full Length Research Paper
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Haemorrheologic and
fibrinolytic activities in diabetics resident in Calabar,
Cross-River State, Nigeria
Edem, M. S., Emeribe, A. O. and Akpotuzor, J. O.*
Department of Heamatology, University of Calabar Teaching
Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
akpotuzor@yahoo.com.
Tel: 08037134757.
Accepted 7 April, 2008 |
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Abstract |
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Diabetes mellitus is a
major health problem that results in significant morbidity
and mortality from such complications as neuropathy,
peripheral vascular disease and macrovascular disease. Many
of the previous haemostatic studies in diabetic Nigerians
focused on platelet count and activity with scanty
information on haemorrheologic and fibrinolytic activities.
A total of 50 diabetic subjects aged between 35 - 75 years
attending the diabetic clinic of University of Calabar
Teaching Hospital were selected for the study. 50
age-matched non-diabetic apparently healthy volunteers were
used as controls. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), relative plasma
viscosity (RPV), plasma fibrinogen concentration (PFC) and
euglobulin lysis times (ELT) were estimated using standard
methods. There was significant increase in FBS, RPV, PFC and
ELT of diabetics when compared with the non-diabetic
controls (P < 0.05). The duration of diabetes (< 5 years vs.
≥ 5 years) did not show any statistically significant effect
on RPV, PFC and ELT (p > 0.05). It was observed in this
study that the diabetic subjects had defective fibrinolysis
and hyperviscous plasma as revealed by significantly
increased RPV, PFC and prolonged ELT when compared with
apparently healthy controls. This shows that the diabetics
are prone to developing vascular and thrombotic
complications. It may be necessary to incorporate RPV, PFC
and ELT as routine tests for better management of these
patients.
Key words:
Haemorrheologic, fibrinolytic, diabetes mellitus,
thrombosis. |
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