Platelet aggregation, beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 in diabetes mellitus and in patients with vasculopathy.

We have studied 155 subjects, 48 normals, 36 diabetics without complications, 44 with complications and 27 patients with macroangiopathy. beta-Thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) are elevated in the patients groups. There is no correlation between the plasma levels of beta-TG and the stages of either retinopathy or macroangiopathy or nephropathy. The difference is more marked between normals and diabetics with neuropathy (p = 0.026). The aggregation response to ADP and platelet activating factor (PAF) is enhanced at lower stimulator concentration. Using the beta-TG, PF4 and aggregation values the discriminant analysis allows a distinction of several subgroups especially with nephropathy and neuropathy (Table 6).