Patients with Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus have an increased risk for premature atherosclerosis [1,2]. Increased concentrations of plasma adhesion molecules (AM) have been detected in patients with developing atherosclerosis [3] and in patients with Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus [4,5] and Type II diabetes [6±9]. Moreover, increased plasma concentrations of soluble forms of some of these adhesion molecules have been suggested as markers of early atherosclerosis [10,11]. These Diabetologia (2002) with the other groups. The adhesion molecule concentrations correlate with the fasting plasma glucose (r = 0.59, p < 0.001), the 2-h OGTT plasma glucose (r = 0.70, p < 0.01), and the HbA 1 c value (r = 0.61, p < 0.05). The E-selectin but not the ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 plasma concentrations correlated with the fasting insulin concentrations (r = 0.62, p < 0.05) or the whole body glucose uptake (r = 0.59, p < 0.05) in the clamp. The hyperinsulinaemia during the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp had no significant effect on the plasma concentrations of E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 in all three groups. Conclusion/interpretation. Our results suggest that increased E-selectin concentrations are related to hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance, whereas increased ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 plasma concentrations in patients with Type II diabetes are rather related to hyperglycaemia than to hyperinsulinaemia or insulin resistance. [Diabetologia (2002) 45: 210±216]