The relationship of soluble immune complexes, insulin antibodies and insulin-anti-insulin complexes to platelet and coagulation factors in type 1 diabetic patients with and without proliferative retinopathy.

The possible correlation between soluble immune factors and platelet and coagulation factors has been evaluated in Type 1 diabetic patients with and without proliferative retinopathy, and in non-diabetic controls. Soluble immune complexes, platelet factor IV (PF4), beta-thromboglobulin, fibrinogen, factor VIII related antigen and anti-thrombin III were significantly increased in Type 1 diabetic patients with retinopathy as compared to non-diabetic controls. Fibrinogen and anti-thrombin III were also higher in those patients with retinopathy compared to those without retinopathy. A significant correlation was found between positive values of soluble immune complexes and increased levels of PF4 and beta-thromboglobulin in diabetic patients with retinopathy. The presence of soluble immune complexes and insulin-anti-insulin complexes was associated with a significantly greater number of elevated haemostatic factors in retinopathic patients. Our findings suggest that the interaction of platelets and soluble immune complexes or insulin-anti-insulin complexes may be pathologically relevant to the development of diabetic retinopathy.