Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a potent inhibitor of fibrinolysis isolated from human plasma. This study was designed to investigate the association between TAFI levels in relation to metabolic control, microvascular complications and lipid profile in a cohort of Egyptian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Eighty normotensive nonobese type 1 diabetic patients (45 with and 35 without microvascular complications) with a mean age of 12.75 ± 3.6 years and mean disease duration of 7.42 ± 2.4 years in addition to 60 sex and age-matched normal individuals were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and microvascular complications were analysed. HbA1c, albumin-to-creatinine ratio in urine, lipid profile and TAFI levels were measured. Plasma level of TAFI in diabetic patients was significantly elevated, compared with normal individuals (16 ± 2.8 vs. 10.3 ± 0.7 μg/ml; P < 0.004). Plasma level of TAFI in diabetic patients with microvascular complications was significantly higher than in diabetic patients without complications (17.9 ± 1.8 vs. 12.9 ± 0.6 μg/ml; P < 0.001). Plasma TAFI levels were positively correlated with HbA1c levels (r = 0.38; P < 0.03) and SBP (r = 0.37; P < 0.02). Total cholesterol and triglycerides were higher in patients with microvascular complications than in those without complications (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, respectively). Our results showed that TAFI is considered a valid predictor for microvascular complications with best cut off value 15 μg/ml with sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 100%. Our data imply that increased plasma TAFI as well as high lipid levels may be involved in the mechanism of vascular endothelial damage in patients with T1DM. This suggests the possibility of TAFI participating in the mechanism of hypofibrinolysis, hence occurrence of microvascular complications in diabetes.
