[Clinical significance of isolated proteinuria]

59 patients who, in a mass examination, had been found to have isolated proteinuria were referred to the county dispensary to have this finding clarified, since the urine and serum tests and the X-rays carried out did not lead to any clarification, histological examination of the samples yielded by renal punction was carried out. In 56 cases (93.2%) a glomerular process was found, and in only 3 cases (6.8%) was normal renal tissue found. Since in 50% of the patients affected proteinuria was observed only intermittently or in traces, the previous evaluation of minimal proteinuria must be questioned. The present findings should help to stimulate epidemiological studies on glomerulonephritis. The social necessity of this is shown by the fact that in the majority of dialysis patients glomerulonephritis has les to terminal renal failure.