In this study in young Hispanic adults without diabetes or other metabolic disease, an increased risk for type 2 diabetes was significantly associated with markers of early phenomena in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic disease: Endothelial activation (higher levels of sICAM-1), subclinical inflammation (higher levels of hsCRP), disturbed coagulation/thrombolysis (increased levels of PAi-1 and tPA), and impaired suppression of adipose tissue lipolysis (increased levels of plasma free fatty acids). Here, PLAT is linked to diabetes mellitus.