Assessment of significance of erythrocyte indices as metabolic and microvascular complications markers in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Erythrocyte morphology is a reflection of both physiological and pathological reactions occurring in the body of patients with diabetes mellitus (hyperglycemia, adipose tissue dysfunction, dyslipidemia, lipid peroxidation, angiopathy, diabetic nephropathy, etc.). There are no available data in the literature that would characterize gradual and progressive changes in the morphology of the erythron system in patients with diabetes mellitus, the more so any analysis of the relationships with pathogenetic factors affecting them.Aim. The aim of the study was to evaluate the nature of erythrocyte index relationships with vascular and metabolic complications of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The main objective of the study was to determine the changes in red blood cell indices at different stages of diabetic microangiopathies and in the presence of different indicators of metabolic control.Material and Methods. A total of 122 patients were enrolled in a single-stage, single-center, comparative, controlled study. Patients were assigned to three groups: group 1 comprised patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (n = 41); group 2 comprised patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n = 67); and group 3 comprised control patients (n = 14). Statistical processing of the results was performed using the SPSS Statistics 20 software.Results. Patients with diabetes mellitus are characterized by qualitative changes in the erythron system manifesting as changes in red blood cell indices.The study identified the significant associations between the changes in erythron system (erythrocyte indices) and various phenotypic features of patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, namely: the duration of diabetes of over 10 years, type 2 diabetes mellitus in combination with obesity, and the presence of dyslipidemia, diabetic retinopathy, and poorly controlled diabetes mellitus if glycated hemoglobin exceeded 8% with a subsequent corresponding increase per each 1%.Conclusion. Additional studies are required to implement these markers, in particular, a red cell distribution width, as risk factors for unfavorable prognosis i.e. the risk of developing various diabetes mellitus complications.