To compare platelet plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) concentration in type 11 diabetic patients and healthy control subjects.
We studied a group of 12 diabetic patients whose disease was controlled by diet or sulfonylurea therapy and a group of 17 nondiabetic control subjects. All subjects were free of clinically advanced vascular disease. PAI-1 antigen concentrations were measured in 5 × 108 isolated platelets, which were lysed by 1% Triton X-100.
Mean platelet PAI-1 was significantly higher in diabetic patients (264 ± 83 ng/5 × 108 platelets) compared with control subjects (202 ±71 ng/5 × 108platelets) (P < 0.05). A significant independent positive correlation was found between platelet PAI-1 concentrations and fasting plasma specific insulin levels in the diabetic patients (r = 0.63, P = 0.03).
These findings suggest that 1) a higher platelet PAI-1 concentration may contribute to enhanced thrombosis in type II diabetes and 2) megakaryo-cyte PAI-1 synthesis may be under the control of insulin.
