Endocrine Abstracts

Aim of the study: To examine the white blood cell count and the platelet count in type 2 diabetic patients vs. age-matched healthy controls, as well as to investigate if the abovementioned counts are associated with parameters of diabetes.

Methods: This study included 337 subjects, divided into two groups. Group A comprised 190 type 2 diabetic patients (98 men, mean age 66.5±9.6 years, mean diabetes duration 11.7±8.6 years). Group B comprised 147 healthy controls (76 men, mean age 65.8±11.2 years). Exclusion criteria for both groups were acute or chronic inflammation, infection, malignancy or other systemic disease. In all subjects WBC and PLT count were measured, as well as serum lipids, atherogenic index, uric acid, fasting glucose, HbA_1c, BMI and waist circumference.

Results: WBC count was significantly (t=−4.604, P<0.001) higher in Group A (7097.5±1477.6/μl) than in Group B (6268.6±1227.7/μl). No significant difference in PLT count was found between the two groups (P=0.892). In group A, WBC count was significantly (r=0.408, P=0.001) positively correlated with HbA_1c, while PLT count was positively correlated with HbA_1c (r=0.475, P=0.001) and negatively with uric acid levels (r=−0.262, P=0.023). In the same group, a positive correlation was demonstrated between WBC and PLT count (r=0.346, P=0.001). No association was found between WBC or PLT count and fasting glucose, BMI, waist circumference and lipids.

Conclusions: In type 2 diabetic patients, WBC count is significantly higher as compared to healthy controls and it is correlated with HbA_1c, an index of glycaemic control. PLT count in type 2 diabetic patients was also correlated with glycaemic control, although it was not higher in comparison to healthy subjects. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a chronic activation of the leucocytes and platelets may play a role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.