Nondiabetic renal disease complicating diabetic nephropathy

The clinicopathological and laboratory findings for 35 diabetic patients who had undergone renal biopsy from 1982 to 1990 were reviewed. Ten of these patients (28.6%) were found to have nondiabetic renal diseases. Five of those patients (14.3%) suffered from nondiabetic renal disease complicated by diabetic nephropathy. Nondiabetic renal diseases included IgA nephropathy, idiopathic membranous nephropathy, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (types I and III), minimal change disease, and toxemia of pregnancy. The diagnosis of nondiabetic renal diseases complicated by diabetes is important for the treatment of renal disease. Urinary abnormalities and/or deterioration in renal function inconsistent with the natural history of diabetic nephropathy were suggestive of the presence of nondiabetic renal disease.