A Comparative Study on the side Effects of Low Molecular Weight Heparin and Unfractionated Heparin Therapy in non-insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Park, Tae Sun; Park, Sung Kwang; Baek, Hong Sun; Kang, Sung Kyew

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We compared the known side effects of low dose low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfractionated heparin(UH) therapy for prevention of the thrombosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Changes in plasma aldosterone, renin activity, potassium concentration, platelet counts and bleeding tendency were investigated in 68 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus 7days after LMWH and UH therapy. LMWH and UH was administered by subcutaneous route at dases of 5000 and 7500 units/day respectively. RESULTS: Although plasma aldosterone concentration was decreased from 323.8+219.2pmol/1 to 142.7+111.lpmo.l/l(p<0.05) in LMWH therapy and from 200.3+177.0pmol/l to 99.6+68.6pmol/l(p<0.05) in UH therapy, decrease rate is significantly greater in UH therapy(p<0.05). Plasma renin activity was decreased from 0.76+0.73ng/L/s to 0.29+ 0.21ng/L/s(p<0.05) in LMWH therapy and from 0.51+0.23ng/L/s to 0.22+0.11ng/L/s(p<0.05) in UH therapy, but decrease rate is not significantly different in both group(p>0.05). Plasma potassium was increased from 4.22+0.82mmol/L to 4.40+ 0.81mmol/L(p>0.05) in LMWH therapy and from 3.98+0.55mmol/L to 4.34+0.82mmol/L(p>0.05) in UH therapy and platelet counts were decreased from 217,875+56,783 to 206,375+67,855/mm(p>0.05) during LMWH and from 273,958+93,519 to 236,708+62,414/mm(p<0.01) in UH therapy. Other complications of heparin therapy were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Low-dose LMWH and UH treated patients are not significantly different in clinical and laboratory characteristics, except that heparin-induced thrombocytopenia was less common in type 2 DM patients treated with LMWH than in those treated with UH.