Diabetes care
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By contributing to a prothrombotic state, increased levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) may be involved in the pathogenesis of the vascular complications of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). The objective of this study was to compare levels of components of the fibrinolytic system in NIDDM subjects with and without retinopathy. ⋯ These results do not support the hypothesis that impaired fibrinolysis due to elevated PAI-1 is associated with the development of retinopathy because fibrinolysis is indeed enhanced and PAI-1 lower in subjects with retinopathy.