PAI-1 REDUCTION AFTER TREATMENT WITH GLUTATHIONE IN NIDDM

The increase of the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is consi dered a biological risk factor of coronary heart disease and is observ ed in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). I n vitro, hyperglycaemia increases PAI-I production by generating free radicals and the antioxidant defences reduce this phenomenon. In order to evaluate the effect of glutathione (GSH) on PAI-1, 10 patients wit h NIDDM underwent a treatment with GSH i.m. for 10 days. The plasma PA I-1 levels were reduced significantly after the treatment (80.1 +/- 5. 2 vs 68.4 +/- 5.9 ng/ml, p < 0.02) and the red blood cell GSH concentr ation increased (1.53 +/- 0.2 vs 1.99 +/- 0.1 mu mol/10(10) RBC, p < 0 .02). In conclusion our data suggest that the GSH may be useful to imp rove the fibrinolytic state in NIDDM.