Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) display a predisposition for vascular disease. Platelets\ntaken from vasculopathic diabetic patients, show enhanced stimuli-induced activation and aggregation responses.\nAspirin remains the cornerstone antiplatelet agent for secondary prevention of vascular complications among\ndiabetic patients, yet evidence of its efficacy and safety in primary prevention are conflicting. Our aim was to assess\nwhether high risk diabetic patients, without previous ischemic events, have abnormal platelet functionality profiles.\nMethods: The study included 82 diabetic patients and 86 matched non-diabetic patients without prior ischemic\nevents nor treatment with anti-platelet medications. Blood samples were analyzed for platelet markers of activation,\nturnover and leukocyte-platelet interactions.\nResults: Our final analysis included 122 males (74 %), with a mean age of 61 years. Mean platelet volume (MPV)\nwas similar between the diabetic patients and controls (9.2 fL for both). Following activation, PAC-1 binding and\nP-selectin expression were found comparable between the diabetic patients and controls (83 % versus 81 % and\n76 % versus 74 %, respectively). Leukocyte-platelet aggregates (LPAs) were similar between the diabetic patients\nand controls (18 % versus 17 %, respectively). Neutrophil-platelet aggregates (NPAs) and monocyte-platelet\naggregates (MPAs) were also found similar in the diabetic patients and controls. Elevated fasting plasma glucose\nwas associated with increased LPAs rates.\nConclusions: High risk type-2 diabetes mellitus patients, without prior ischemic events, have normal blood platelet\nfunctionality profiles.
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