[Platelet factor 3 and 4 in juvenile diabetes and in children of diabetic mothers].

We studied 91 children, distributed, as follows, in four groups: Group A, including 24 children (average age 11.4 +/- 0.7) with juvenile onset diabetes (duration less than 4 years), without any clinically apparent vascular disorder. Group B: 22 matched controls (average age 11.5 +/- 0.53). Group C: 25 newborns (average age 3.7 +/- 0.3) of diabetic mothers (B Group in P. White classification). Group D: 20 matched controls (average age 2.8 +/- 0.3). All were tested for total, HDL, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In all the subjects we performed: -- PF4 (by H.T.C.H., according O'Brien et al., 1975) on PPP and on PRP (300,000-350,000 platelets/microliters) after platelet aggregation with 4.0 10(-6)M epinephrine (Born's method). -- PF3 (b a Stypven time) on frozen-thawed (three times) PRP and on PRP after p.a. with 4.0 10(-6)M epinephrine. No statistically significant difference was noted in PF3 values between A-C groups and their respective control groups (B-D). PF4 was more represented on diabetic's PPP (group A), whilst no difference was noted after aggregation. This increase suggests in early juvenile onset diabetes, without any clinically apparent disease, an "in vivo" platelet activation, which may be important in thromboembolic disorders of diabetics.