Glomerular lesions in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria.

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the renal structural changes in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we studied the renal histological findings and urinary albumin excretion in 75 patients with NIDDM. They were divided into two groups according to excretion of urinary albumin 40 cases of normoalbuminuria and 35 cases of microalbuminuria. Renal biopsy specimens were evaluated by light microscopy. Diffuse glomerular lesions were graded on a scale of D0 through DIV (Gellman's criteria). The incidence of microalbuminuria was 19.2% in D0, 53.3% in DI, 61.5% in DII and 100% in DIII. Grade IV lesions were not present in either group. Creatinine clearance differed significantly between the groups with and without microalbuminuria. There was no difference between the groups with normoalbuminuria and microalbuminuria in the incidence of retinopathy and hypertension, or in the urinary excretion of beta 2MG and NAG. We conclude that microalbuminuria in NIDDM indicates the early morphological changes of glomerular lesions.