Br J Ophthalmol 2000;84:531-533
( May )
Scientific correspondence
Lupus anticoagulant positivity in insulin dependent diabetic
patients: an additional risk factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic
retinopathy?
Cristiano Giustia, Riccardo Schiaffinib, Daniela Boscob, Paolo Ciampalinib, Antonio Pantaleob, Enzo M Vingoloa, Patrizia Gargiulob
a University "La
Sapienza", Rome, Italy, b Institute of Internal Medicine II
Correspondence to: Cristiano Giusti, MD, Via Cassia 1280 (Pal B1, int 10), I-00189 Rome,
Italy crigiust{at}tin.it
Accepted for publication 13 January 2000
AIMS
To investigate
whether lupus anticoagulant (LA) positivity, a marker of endothelial
dysfunction, might be relevant to the pathogenesis of diabetic
retinopathy (DR).
METHODS32 IDDM
patients were examined for LA, fibrinogen, prothrombin (PT), PTT,
prothrombin degradation products (F1+2), and activated protein C (APC).
RESULTSAPC decreased
and F1+2 increased significantly in LA positive but not in LA negative
patients; 60% of LA positive and 18% of LA negative subjects had DR.
PT, PTT, and fibrinogen levels were insignificant.
CONCLUSIONThese
preliminary findings suggest that LA positivity could represent an
additional risk factor for DR, acting as a link between the
immunological and haemostatic systems.
© 2000 by British Journal of Ophthalmology
