[Activity of converting enzyme angiotensin I to angiotensin II (ACE) in patients with diabetes type II]

The aim of the work was evaluation of activity of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus depending on evidence of hypertonia, duration of diabetes and possibility of fat metabolism disturbances. 20 patients were studied (16 women and 4 men, average age 57.5 years). Average time of duration of diabetes was approximately 9 years (from 1 year to 25 years). The control group included 68 people (34 women and 34 men) in age of 19 to 67 years. Convertase activity was determined by Friedland and Silverstein's spectrofluorometric assay. Average ACE activity values in diabetic patient (44.45 +/- 13.14 mmol/ml/min) were close up to control group values and were not significantly different. Similar significant difference was not ascertain between average ACE activity values in patients with more than and less than 10 years of diabetes, in patients with hypercholesterolemia over and less 300 mg%, in patients with and without hypertonia and in patients with and without LDL hypercholesterolemia over and less 200 mg%. Positive correlation was observed between ACE activity values and triglyceride levels in patients with less than 10 years of diabetes (r = 0.88, p < 0.01) and in patients with hypercholesterolemia over 300 mg% (r = 0.75, p < 0.01). In this last group, in addition, the positive correlation was present between ACE activity values and total cholesterol levels (r = 0.86, p < 0.001). Correlation between ACE activity and total cholesterol level was ascertained in patients with LDL hypercholesterolemia over 200 mg% too (r = 0.81, p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)