D-dimer levels in type 1 and type 2 diabetic children and adolescents; Relation to microvascular complications and dyslipidemia "own data and review".

BACKGROUND: Changes in the coagulation cascade have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the vascular diabetic complications. OBJECTIVE: to assess D-dimer level (as a marker of coagulation cascade/fibrinolysis activation) in type 1 and type 2 diabetics and its correlation with microvascular complications and serum total cholesterol (TC) level. METHODS: Ninety patients were included divided into two groups. Group 1; comprised 50 type 1 diabetics with a mean age of 13.56 years. Their disease duration ranged between 0.4-16 years. Group 2; comprised 40 type 2 diabetics with a mean age of 13.5 years. Their disease duration ranged between 0.4-8 years. Patients were compared to 60 healthy age and sex matched subjects served as controls. Laboratory investigations included; fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, quantitative urinary albumin creatinine ratio (ACR), serum TC and measurement of plasma D-dimer levels. RESULTS: Type 2 diabetics had significantly higher weight and body mass index (BMI) Standard deviation score (SDS) (p<0.0001) compared to type 1 diabetics. Type 2 diabetics had higher TC (p<0.04) and D-dimer levels (p<0.05) compared to type 1 diabetics. D-dimer level was highly significantly elevated among type 1 diabetics with retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy compared to non-complicated patients (p<0.01). D-dimer was significantly correlated with ACR (p<0.001) in both studied groups. In type 2 diabetics, TC level was positively correlated with BMI SDS (p<0.05), D-dimer level was significantly correlated with disease duration (p<0.05), blood pressure (p<0.01), and TC (p<0.05). In type 1 diabetics, D-dimer levels were positively correlated with blood pressure (p<0.01). In both types, D-dimer is positively correlated with ACR (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: There was a tendency to hypercoagulability in both types of diabetes. This phenomenon may play a role in the development of diabetic microvascular complications.