Raised plasma fibronectin concentration is related to the presence of diabetic retinopathy.

Plasma concentrations of fibronectin were studied in 152 diabetics (77 males, 75 females), divided according to their hypoglycemic treatment, and in 60 normal subjects (30 males, 30 females) closely matched for age. In both sexes no significant difference of plasma fibronectin (PF) levels was observed between controls and treated groups. In the whole group of diabetics PF levels were weakly correlated with age (r = 0.16; p less than 0.05) and not associated with HbA1 or duration of illness. Both male and female diabetics, either on sulfonylureas or insulin, with retinopathy (background, except for 2 proliferative in the group of insulin-requiring females) were characterized by significantly higher PF concentrations than either controls or patients without retinopathy.