Aim To examine the relationship between glycopropean complex of activated platelet (PAC-1) and lipid metabolic disturbance in cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods One hundred and twenty two patients with DM (type 2) were divided into lipid metabolic disturbance group (62 cases) and normal lipid metabolism group (58 cases). 25 normals were selected as the control. Flow-cytometry was used to detect the PAC-1 level and therefore the deference between the two groups was analysed. The correlation between triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and PAC-1 was also evaluated. Results The PAC-1 level in type 2 DM cases was higher than that in control subjects. It was also markedly higher in abnormal lipid metabolic cases than that in normal lipid metabolic cases. LDLC correlated positively with PAC-1 (r=0.64, p<0.05). Conclusion Abnormal lipid metabolism is the main factor resulting in a high PAC-1 level.