Altered Coagulation Parameters in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Their Association with Diabetic Complications: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T₂DM) is associated with hemostatic abnormalities that may contribute to microvascular and macrovascular complications. This study evaluated coagulation parameters in T₂DM patients and investigated their association with diabetic complications. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study included 130 adult T₂DM patients attending a tertiary hospital. Patients were divided into those with complications (n=69) and without complications (n=61). Prothrombin time (PT) activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), international normalized ratio (INR), bleeding time (BT), and clotting time (CT) were measured. Statistical analysis included Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. Results: A significant majority of T₂DM patients exhibited low PT and INR values. All patients with diabetic complications had low PT and INR compared to only a portion of those without complications (p<0.001). Mean PT and INR were significantly lower in patients with complications versus those without (p<0.001). For aPTT, a substantial proportion of patients with complications had low values compared to none without complications (p<0.001), with lower mean aPTT in the complications group (p<0.001). All patients had normal BT and CT, but mean BT was significantly shorter in patients with complications (p<0.001). Conclusions: T₂DM patients, especially those with complications, demonstrate a hypercoagulable state characterized by shortened PT, aPTT, and BT. The strong correlation between HbA1c and coagulation parameters suggests that poor glycemic control contributes to coagulation abnormalities. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring coagulation parameters in T₂DM patients for early identification of thrombotic risk.