[Progressive course of nephropathy with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus--structural-functional relationship]

We studied quantitatively a morphological change in diabetic nephropathy by light microscopy. The renal biopsy specimens were examined using color image processor in 53 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). These patients, aged 22 to 69 years, had been NIDDM for 2 months to 27 years. Glomerular area (GA), mesangial rate (MR) and length of capillary filtration (CFL) were used as the morphological parameters. Duration of diabetes, urinary albumin excretion and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were chosen as clinical manifestations. Duration of diabetes was correlated with MR (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), but not GA. Glomerular hypertrophy could not be found. A significant relationship between Ccr and CFL were noticed (r = 0.64, p < 0.01).