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 Cai-dependent endothelial and platelet activation markers may precede the signs of endothelial damage. This hypothesis requires further research.