Glomerulonephritis in diabetic patients and its effect on the prognosis.

Renal biopsies were obtained from 164 patients with diabetes mellitus. Their histological changes were evaluated together with clinical findings and prognosis. In 36 patients, various types of glomerulonephritis were complicated: mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (17 patients), membranous glomerulonephritis (8), endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis (5), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (4) and minimal change nephrotic syndrome (2). Superimposed glomerulonephritis was suspected in diabetic patients with a short history of less than 5 years, persistent proteinuria, occasional hematuria and no retinopathy. They may, however, produce little effects on the long-term prognosis of diabetic patients except membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.