Prevalence of overt diabetic nephropathy in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We performed a retrospective study on 1,019 patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes who were followed for the past 20 years in our Diabetic Unit in order to determine the prevalence of overt diabetic nephropathy in relation to the other known complications of diabetes. In comparison with neuropathy, retinopathy and peripheral vascular disease, whose prevalence was 23.4%, 28.0%, and 27.4% respectively, the prevalence of macroproteinuria was significantly lower (7.0%). The prevalence of complications was correlated directly with patient age and duration of diabetes, and inversely with the degree of metabolic control. The reasons for the low prevalence of overt diabetic nephropathy in our population of noninsulin-dependent diabetics may be related to genetic factors, diet, other unknown environmental factors, or higher mortality rates in patients with renal disease.