Table 3.

Differences in thrombus structure between patients with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after non ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS).

T2DM after NSTE-ACS	Non DM after NSTE-ACS
Quantitatively, larger thrombus generation	Less thrombus formation
Thrombus had lower viscoelastic strength and this could make diabetic thrombus easier to undergo embolization (“friable thrombus”)	Higher viscoelastic strength resulted in “compact thrombus” and resistance to micro embolisation
Thrombus was slower to undergo autolysis and thus could persist (both as occlusive and non occlusive thrombus) in coronary vasculature longer	Autolysis of the thrombus was not delayed and this would favour early clearance of thrombus
Persistence of thrombus in T2DM may result in further propagation as “thrombus begets thrombus”	Faster clot retraction would protect against propagation of thrombus
Ultrastructure of diabetic thrombus showed thinner fibrin fibres	Ultrastructure of the thrombus showed thicker fibrin fibres which were arranged parallel and twisted around the axis
Larger numbers of fibrin fibres were arranged in a mesh or sieve like fashion	Densely arranged fibrin appeared in a more organised fashion with fewer side branches