INCREASED PLASMA-LEVELS OF IMMUNOREACTIVE ENDOTHELIN AND VON-WILLEBRAND-FACTOR IN NIDDM PATIENTS

OBJECTIVES - To elucidate the significance of plasma levels of endothe lin (ET) and von Willebrand factor (VWF) as possible markers for endot helial dysfunction in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Plasma levels of ET and VWF were determ ined in 22 NIDDM patients with or without retinopathy and 10 normal co ntrol subjects. RESULTS - The plasma levels of immunoreactive endothel in (irET) and VWF in NIDDM patients were 0.78 +/- 0.06 pmol/l and 218. 3 +/- 18.4%, respectively, which represented significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, respectively) differences from the values in the control group (0.50 +/- 0.06 pmol/l and 139.1 +/- 11.1%, respectively, n = 10). How ever, when the diabetic patients were divided into two groups accordin g to the presence or absence of diabetic retinopathy, the plasma level s of irET and vWF in the NIDDM patients with retinopathy were signific antly higher (1.01 +/- 0.07 pmol/l and 283.0 +/- 21.4%, respectively, n = 12) compared with the control group and NIDDM patients without ret inopathy (0.59 + 0.06 pmol/l and 164.3 +/- 17.0%, respectively). Plasm a levels of irET showed a significant (P < 0.01) positive correlation with the levels of vWF. CONCLUSIONS - These data strongly suggest that increased plasma irET reflects the endothelial cell damage in NIDDM.