Platelet Aggregation in Experimental Diabetes and Experimental Galactosemia

Platelet aggregation and related plasma factors have been studied in experimentally diabetic dogs, experimentally galactosemic dogs, and in normal dogs. Platelet aggregation, when induced in vitro by ADP (up to 22 μM) or collagen (up to 4 μg/ml), was not significantly different from normal in the diabetic or galactosemic dogs. Plasma (platelet-deficient) from the diabetic or galactosemic dogs did not enhance ADP-induced aggregation of normal canine platelets. Fibrinogen concentration in blood tended to be elevated in hyperglycemie diabetic dogs, and was significantly correlated with the levels of HbA₁ and blood glucose, whereas galactosemic animals had normal fibrinogen concentrations. The quantity of 6-keto prostaglandin F_1α released from aortas of diabetic dogs was less than that released from aortas of normal dogs. Since alloxan-diabetic dogs and galactosemic dogs develop microaneurysms, occluded capillaries, and other retinal lesions characteristic of diabetic retinopathy in human patients, these studies suggest that retinopathy can develop in the absence of extraordinary in vitro platelet aggregation.