The effect of glycemic control on plasma soluble fibrin monomer complexes and fibronectin in diabetic patients

We have shown previously that increased concentrations of plasma soluble fibrin monomer complexes (SFMC) and elevated fibronectin (Fn) levels are closely related to the development of diabetic microangiopathy. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether or not changes in plasma glucose levels could have an effect on these protein constituents. Plasma glucose levels of 25 uncontrolled diabetic patients were brought under control with insulin and serial measurements of SFMC and Fn were made over a period of 4 weeks. Glucose values fell from an average of 312 mg/100 ml to 160 mg/100 ml. Ten patients with macroproteinuria (i.e. greater than or equal to 0.5 g/24 hr) showed initially elevated plasma SFMC and Fn concentrations. These levels fell significantly over the 4 week observation period: from 13.6 mg/100 ml to 9.4 mg/100 ml for SFMC and from 38.4 mg/100 ml to 34.5 mg/100 ml for Fn. The remaining 15 patients had nearly normal levels of both SFMC (7.9 mg/100 ml) and Fn (31.1 mg/100 ml) and glycemic control brought no further reduction. The data indicated that a) elevated SFMC and Fn levels are indeed associated with diabetic microangiopathy, especially in the presence of macroproteinuria; and b) adequate glycemic control is capable of normalizing the plasma concentration of these constituents.