title: Post-meal coagulation activation in diabetes mellitus: the effect of acarbose.
abstract: It has been previously demonstrated that hyperglycaemia activates haemostasis; diabetes mellitus is considered a thrombosis-prone state. Acarbose, by inhibiting dietary carbohydrate absorption, reduces post-meal hyperglycaemia. In this study we evaluated the effect of post-meal hyperglycaemia on two markers of coagulation activation: prothrombin fragments 1 + 2 and D-dimer. Seventeen non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients maintained on diet therapy alone were randomly assigned to receive- with a cross-over study design-acarbose (100 mg orally) or placebo before a standard meal. Blood samples for measurement of plasma glucose, insulin, prothrombin fragments 1 + 2 and D-dimer were drawn at 0, 60, 120 and 240 min. After both placebo and acarbose, hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia which followed a standard meal were accompanied by a significant increase of plasma concentration of prothrombin fragments 1 + 2 and D-dimer in comparison to their baseline values. Acarbose administration significantly reduced the rise of glucose, insulin, prothrombin fragments 1 + 2 and D-dimer from 0 to 240 min in comparison to placebo. We conclude that post-meal hyperglycaemia, at the level reached by many diabetic patients on diet therapy alone, induces a coagulation activation. Acarbose, by decreasing post-meal hyperglycaemia, may be useful in reducing meal-induced activation of haemostasis in diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Pathology, University of Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ceriello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taboga
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tonutti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giacomello
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Motz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirisi
mesh_terms: D020909:Acarbose; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004435:Eating; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood*; D006946:Hyperinsulinism; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000032:analysis*; D010919:Placebos; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000032:analysis*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000032:analysis*; D013997:Time Factors; D014312:Trisaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010919:Placebos; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014312:Trisaccharides; C029733:prothrombin fragment 1; C044183:prothrombin fragment 2; D011516:Prothrombin; D020909:Acarbose