Endothelial markers in diabetes mellitus

In this study we examined 22 NIDDM patients without vascular complications and 17 age-matched healthy blood donors. Von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels were significantly increased in NIDDM patients compared to healthy blood donors (1.33+/-0.39 vs 1.01+/-0.27 IU/ml p=0.006), while thrombomodulin (TM) levels were similar in the both groups. vWF levels correlated with calcium dependent secretion parameters such as C-peptide (r=0.680, p<0.001) and PF4 (r=0.613, p <0.01) and did not correlate with calcium-independent markers of endothelial injury such as TM (r=0.287, p=0.196) and TFPI (r=0.296, p=0.181). Therefore it seems that increased levels of Ca-i-dependent endothelial and platelet activation markers may precede the signs of endothelial damage. This hypothesis requires further research. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.