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Reversible Hematologic Sequelae of Diabetes Mellitus
- CHARLES M. PETERSON, M.D., F.A.C.P.;
- ROBERT L. JONES, M.D.;
- RONALD J. KOENIG, B.S.;
- ELLEN T. MELVIN, M.D.; and
- MARK L. LEHRMAN, M.D.
Abstract
Seven patients with diabetes mellitus were hospitalized and their blood sugar concentrations regulated as a result of fasting blood sugar, sugar around meals, urinary sugar, and hemoglobin AIc assays. Erythrocyte half-life as measured by 51Cr increased in all patients from a mean of 27 days to 31 days, while hemoglobin AIc levels decreased from a mean of 10.1% to 5.6%. Leukocyte adherence increased in all patients from a mean of 28% to 51%. Most striking were the changes observed in platelet function in response to epinephrine. The length of the secondary lag phase of platelet aggregation, after a stimulus with final concentration of 70 µM of epinephrine, increased from a mean of 19 seconds to 65 seconds. Studies in additional patients confirmed an inverse correlation between hemoglobin AIc concentration and the secondary lag phase (r = 0.87, P < 0.001). These studies found that certain secondary sequelae of diabetes can be corrected by strict carbohydrate control and confirmed that hemoglobin AIc assays provide a useful means of showing the degree of control of glucose metabolism in diabetic patients.
Article and Author Information
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▸From The Rockefeller University and Beth Israel Hospital; New York, New York.
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Grant support: in part by a grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
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▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Charles M. Peterson, M.D.; The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave.; New York, NY 10021.
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- Received August 23, 1976.
- Accepted January 18, 1977.
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