Summary
Diabetic subjects have been shown to have altered fibrin network structures. One possible
cause may be fibrinogen glycation resulting in altered structure/function properties.
We investigated the effect of glucose control on fibrinogen glycation and fibrin network
structure in type 2 diabetes. Blood samples were taken from twenty uncontrolled diabetic
subjects at baseline to determine the levels of fibrinogen glycation and fibrin network
structures. The subjects were then treated with insulin until blood glucose control
was achieved before end blood samples were taken. Twenty age- and BMI-matched non-diabetic
subjects were included as a reference group. The diabetic subjects had significantly
higher mean fibrinogen glycation at baseline than the non-diabetic subjects (7.84
vs. 3.89 mol glucose / mol fibrinogen;p < 0.001).This was significantly reduced during
the intervention (7.84 to 5.24 mol glucose / mol fibrinogen; p< 0.0002) in the diabetic
group. Both groups had high mean fibrinogen concentrations (4.25 and 4.02 g/l, diabetic
and non-diabetic subjects respectively). There was no difference in fibrinogen concentration,
porosity, compaction and kinetics of clot formation between the diabetic subjects
and non-diabetic subjects at baseline, nor were there any changes during the intervention
despite the reduced fibrinogen glycation. Fibrin network characteristics correlated
well with fibrinogen but not with any markers of glycaemic control. Improved glycaemic
control resulted in decreased fibrinogen glycation but not fibrinogen concentration.
It seems as though porosity, compaction and kinetics of clot formation are more related
to fibrinogen concentration than fibrinogen glycation in this model.
Keywords
Diabetes - glycation - fibrinogen - fibrin network structure - glucose control