Is Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 associated with diabetic retinopathy and its severity in type 2 diabetic patients?

Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1(PAI-1) is a known cardiovascular risk marker in diabetes but its role in microvascular disease is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate relationship between serum PAI-1 level and presence and severity of retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients.
175 type 2 diabetic patients were selected. Fasting vein samples were taken for assessment of fasting blood sugar¡ HbA1C¡ lipid profiles¡ creatinin and PAI-1. Urine was taken for assessment of microalbumin to creatinine ratio. All these patients then referred to the ophthalmologist for the evaluation of probable retinopathy. The correlation between serum indices like PAI-1 and retinopathy was assessed.
59 patients (33.9%) had retinopathy. There was significant relation between albuminuria¡ systolic blood pressure and HbA1c with diabetic retinopathy. There was not significant relationship between retinopathy and serum PAI-1 level. PAI-1 was not different between non proliferative retinopathy compared with proliferative retinopathy.
No significant statistical association was found between serum PAI-1 level and occurrence of retinopathy and its severity in diabetic patients but this observation remains to be determined by large clinical studies.