Four groups of age and sex matched patients were studied: group 1:20
nondiabedc subjects with a body mass index (BM1) <25 kg/n? (lean control subjects);
group 11:20 obese non diabetic subjects with a BMI>30 kg/n?; group 111:20 lean
NIDDM subjects; and group 1V:20 obese NIDDM subjects. We determined: blood
glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-Cholesterol, Apolipoprotein Al and B,
insulin, Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), fibrinogen, Factor VII, plasminogen, tissue
plasminogen activator antigen(t-PA) (Ag) pre and post venous occlusion (VU) and
plasminogen activator inhibitor (PA 1) activity pre and post VU (VU test is a physiological
stress test used to study the fibrinolytic activity). In addition to metabolic abnormalities
obese non diabetic subjects and lean and obese NIDDM patients displayed significantly
higher levels of fibrinogen, Factor VII, plasminogen, PA1 pre and post VU and t-PA
(Ag) pre VU and significantly lower levels of t-PA (Ag) post VU. Our findings
demonstrate an impairment of the haemostatic and fibrinolytic mechanisms which may
be a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular complications in obesity and
in NIDDM. |
