CD34 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: In a cross-sectional study including 60 type 2 diabetic patients with and without peripheral arterial disease and with and without severe NPDR and PDR (DR−/PAD−n = 15, DR−/PAD+n = 30, DR+/PAD−n = 5, and DR+/PAD+n = 10), Fadini and collaborators (69) identified reduced levels of CD34+ cells in patients with DR when compared with those without it.