DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2019.v07i11.004

Pages: 407-411

Diabetes mellitus, more in particular type 2, is a known causative factor of endothelial activation and resulting in the secretion of von Willebrand factor. This study was carried out to know the effect of duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus on von Willebrand factor level in Hausa/Fulani. The study was a cross sectional one carried out at Specialist Hospital, Sokoto from June to December 2018. The patients were assessed, the assessments include history (a questionnaire) and clinical examination. von Willebrand factor was determined in one hundred (100) diabetic subjects and one hundred (100) non-diabetic subjects using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay method. The diabetic patients were grouped into five groups. Group A1. Treatment naïve. Group A2. on treatment for less than a year (<1yr). Group A3. on treatment for one to less than two years (1 - <2yr). Group A4. on treatment for two to less than five years (2 - <5yr). Group A5. On treatment for five years and above (≥ 5yr). The mean concentration of the Von Willebrand factor was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in group A5 on treatment for five years and above (≥ 5yr) (42.09±4.70ng/L) and group A2 on treatment for less than a year (<1yr) (32.80±8.40ng/L) compared the controls. This present study revealed that, as the duration of treatment of diabetes mellitus increases, the plasma levels of von Willebrand factor also increases due to activation of the endothelium in Hausa/Fulani type 2 diabetic patients. Therefore, Von Willebrand factor should be included in the routine investigations for the management of diabetic patients as an adjuvant in predicting early vascular complication of diabetes mellitus as increased in plasma levels correlate with vascular injury.