Total Plasma Antioxidant Capacity Predicts Thrombosis-Prone Status in NIDDM Patients

Antonio Ceriello; Nario Bortolotti; Mario Pirisi; Adriana Crescentini; Laura Tonutti; Enrico Motz; Assunta Russo; Roberta Giacomello; Giuliana Stel; Claudio Taboga

doi:10.2337/diacare.20.10.1589

Original Articles

Total Plasma Antioxidant Capacity Predicts Thrombosis-Prone Status in NIDDM Patients

Antonio Ceriello, MD,
Nario Bortolotti, PHD,
Mario Pirisi, MD,
Adriana Crescentini,
Laura Tonutti, MD,
Enrico Motz, MD,
Assunta Russo, MD,
Roberta Giacomello, BSC,
Giuliana Stel, BSC and
Claudio Taboga, MD

Department of Medicine and Pathology, Udine General Hospital Clinical and Experimental Udine, Italy
University of Udine, and the Diabetes Unit, Udine General Hospital Udine, Italy

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Antonio Ceriello, MD, Chair of Internal Medicine, University of Udine, P. le S. Maria della Misericordia, 33100 Udine, Italy.

Diabetes Care 1997 Oct; 20(10): 1589-1593. https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.20.10.1589

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To explore the hypothesis that a relationship exists between free radical activity and abnormalities in hemostasis in NIDDM.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The use of the total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) has very recently been proposed to explore the antioxidant property of a plasma and their mutual cooperation. In the present study, TRAP, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, uric acid, protein-bound SH (thiol) groups, fibrinogen, prothrombin fragments F1 + 2, and D-dimer have been evaluated in 46 NIDDM patients and 47 healthy matched control subjects.

RESULTS In NIDDM patients, TRAP, vitamin A, SH groups, and uric acid were significantly reduced, whereas the level of vitamin E was significantly increased. Vitamin C was similar in the two groups. Fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, and D-dimer were increased in diabetic patients. TRAP, but no single other antioxidant, had a strong inverse association with fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, and D-dimer.

CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that oxidative stress may condition coagulation activation in diabetics. However, the data suggest that it is the total antioxidant capacity rather than any single plasma antioxidant that is the most relevant parameter.