Levels of plasma fibrinogen and d-dimer in patients with impaired fasting glucose.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular risk associated with impaired fasting glucose has been examined in various studies with conflicting results. During the last 10 years, several risk markers for atherosclerosis such as fibrinogen and D-dimer have been identified. The present study was designed to evaluate plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer levels in patients with impaired fasting glucose compared with normal subjects and those with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched 30 normal subjects, 30 patients with impaired fasting glucose (fasting glucose 110 to 125 mg/dl), and 30 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (fasting glucose >/= 126 mg/dl) were included in the study. RESULTS: The levels of plasma fibrinogen in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, and normal subjects were 449 (306 - 605) mg/dl, 348 (264 - 468) mg/dl, and 216 (179 - 260) mg/dl, respectively. Patients with impaired fasting glucose had significantly lower plasma fibrinogen levels than patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). There were significantly higher plasma fibrinogen levels in patients with impaired fasting glucose than in normal subjects (p < 0.05). The levels of plasma D-dimer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting glucose, and normal subjects were 615 (505 - 768) mg/l, 518 (412 - 664) mg/l, and 424 (356 - 557) mg/l, respectively. Patients with impaired fasting glucose had significantly lower plasma D-dimer levels than patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (p < 0.05). There were significantly higher plasma D-dimer levels in patients with impaired fasting glucose than in normal subjects (p < 0.05). The levels of plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer were related to fasting glucose in type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose groups (p < 0.05). We also detected positive correlation between plasma fibrinogen levels and age in study groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that patients with impaired fasting glucose pose a hypofibrinolytic status and cardiovascular risk, although this was lower than in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.