Relationship between thromboxane/prostacyclin ratio and diabetic vascular complications

To elucidate the relationship between the thromboxane A(2)/prostacyclin (TXA(2)/PGl(2)) ratio and diabetic complications, the levels of 11-dehydro-thromboxane B-2 and 2,3-dinor-6-keto-prostaglandin F-1 alpha, the urinary metabolites of thromboxane A(2) and prostacyclin, were measured in diabetics by gas chromatography/selectedd ion monitoring. We compared the TXA(2)/PGl(2) ratio in healthy volunteers and diabetics. The TXA(2)/PGl(2) ratio of diabetics was significantly higher than that of healthy volunteers and we could reconfirm the hypercoagulable condition in diabetics. We also investigated the difference of TXA(2)/PGl(2) levels in diabetics with retinopathy and neuropathy The TXA2/PGl(2) ratio of diabetics with retinopathy showed significantly higher level than without retinopathy. However, the TXA(2)/PGl(2) ratio of diabetics with neuropathy was the same as without neuropathy. These results suggest that the TXA(2)/PGl(2) ratio reflects the pathological conditions of diabetes, especially the change of vasculature. The monitoring and improvement of TXA(2)/PGl(2) ratio could be useful for the prevention of diabetic vascular complications. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.