Abstract
The concentration of leukocyte elastase/α1-proteinase inhibitor complexes in plasma and polymorphonuclear neutrophil extracts, and plasma trypsin inhibitory capacity were determined in 88 patients with type 2 diabetes and 47 control subjects. Higher values of these variables were found in patients as compared to controls (p < 0.001). The concentration of elastase was higher in obese patients than in lean ones (p < 0.05 for plasma, p < 0.01 for polymorphonuclear leukocytes). Only leukocyte elastase levels were significantly higher in the group with both micro- and macroangiopathy in comparison to the group with microangiopathy (p < 0.01) or macroangiopathy (p < 0.05) alone. Poor short-term glycaemic control was associated with higher elastase concentration in plasma and neutrophils (p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates that measurements of plasma polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase level can be considered as a marker of development of diabetic angiopathy.
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