title: Plasma markers of endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, represents an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), being characterized by a continuous low-grade inflammation and endothelial activation state. Atherosclerotic lesions occur in diabetic patients at an earlier age with severe clinical manifestations and poor outcome. Our objective was to investigate the correlation between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (PLA2-LDL), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and paraoxonase (PON), enzymes implicated in the evolution of endothelial dysfunction associated with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred diabetic patients [50 without documented coronary artery disease (group 1) and 50 with CVD (group 2)] and 46 healthy controls were investigated for PLA2-LDL, MPO, and PON activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PLA2-LDL activity was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 and among controls. PON activity was lower in group 1 than in controls, reaching the lowest level in group 2. MPO activity was higher in type 2 diabetics than among controls, with similar values in groups 1 and 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluation of PLA2-LDL, MPO, and PON activities may improve early diagnosis of CVD in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes and can help to evaluate accelerated atherosclerosis and microvascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Ultrastructural Pathology Department, Victor Babes National Institute of Research and Development in Pathology and Biomedical Sciences, 99-101 Splaiul Independentei, 76201 Bucharest, Romania. Emoldoveanu@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moldoveanu
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tanaseanu
authors.forename: Stefanita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaseanu
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kosaka
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manea
authors.forename: Daciana S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Marta
authors.forename: Laurentiu M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Popescu