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Br J Ophthalmol 2000;84:531-533 doi:10.1136/bjo.84.5.531
  • Scientific correspondence

Lupus anticoagulant positivity in insulin dependent diabetic patients: an additional risk factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy?

  1. Cristiano Giustia,
  2. Riccardo Schiaffinib,
  3. Daniela Boscob,
  4. Paolo Ciampalinib,
  5. Antonio Pantaleob,
  6. Enzo M Vingoloa,
  7. Patrizia Gargiulob
  1. aUniversity “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy, bInstitute of Internal Medicine II
  1. Cristiano Giusti, MD, Via Cassia 1280 (Pal B1, int 10), I-00189 Rome, Italy crigiust{at}tin.it
  • Accepted 13 January 2000

Abstract

AIMS To investigate whether lupus anticoagulant (LA) positivity, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, might be relevant to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

METHODS 32 IDDM patients were examined for LA, fibrinogen, prothrombin (PT), PTT, prothrombin degradation products (F1+2), and activated protein C (APC).

RESULTS APC 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.

CONCLUSION These preliminary findings suggest that LA positivity could represent an additional risk factor for DR, acting as a link between the immunological and haemostatic systems.

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