title: "Association between platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase and diabetic retinopathy: Does inflammation affect the retinal status?".
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the role of plasma platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) in pathogenesis and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty eight diabetics and 23 age-frequency-matched non-diabetic patients underwent blood sampling and the plasma PAF-AH activity was calculated. The diabetic patients were further classified into two groups, according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) classification, based on indirect fundoscopy and fluorescein angiography. Thirty seven patients with non-proliferative DR (NPDR) and 31 patients with proliferative DR (PDR) were finally included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma PAF-AH activity was increased in diabetic patients with PDR (0.206 μmol/min/ml) compared to control group (0.114 μmol/min/ml, post-hoc Bonferroni comparison test: p<0.0001) and to NPDR group (0.147 μmol/min/ml, post-hoc Bonferroni comparison test: p=0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activity of PAF-AH in the plasma increases in parallel with DR severity.
authors.affiliation: University Eye Clinic, General Hospital of Athens G. Gennimatas, Greece. Electronic address: moschosmarilita@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Marilita M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Moschos
authors.affiliation: University Eye Clinic, General Hospital of Athens G. Gennimatas, Greece. Electronic address: pantazispanos@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pantazis
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address: zisisg@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Zisis
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gatzioufas
authors.affiliation: Ipswich Hospital, University of Cambridge, UK. Electronic address: gdpanos@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Georgios D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Panos
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Science, Laboratory of Biology, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Electronic address: mgazouli@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazouli
authors.affiliation: University Eye Clinic, General Hospital of Athens G. Gennimatas, Greece. Electronic address: irenenitoda@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nitoda
authors.affiliation: University Eye Clinic, General Hospital of Athens G. Gennimatas, Greece. Electronic address: brouzas@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brouzas
mesh_terms: D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase
keywords: Diabetic retinopathy; Inflammation; PAF acetylhydrolase; Platelet activating factor