Hyperfibrinogenemia: An important risk factor for vascular complications in diabetes

Abstract

Overall mean +/- SE fibrinogen levels in patients (339 +/- 7.3 mg/dl) were elevated markedly compared with control subjects (248 +/- 9.1 mg/dl). Fibrinogen levels were elevated disproportionately in patients with type II diabetes (P less than 0.0001), hypertension (P = 0.0001), obesity (P less than 0.0001), and vascular complications (P less than 0.0001). Fibrinogen was correlated significantly with age (P less than 0.001), cholesterol (P = 0.002), CRP (P less than 0.001), and factor VII activity (P = 0.032), but not with plasma glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, or disease duration. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that type II diabetes and presence of vascular complications were major determinants of fibrinogen. For vascular complications, fibrinogen emerged as one of only three independent predictors, the other two being diabetes duration and hypertension.