Morphology of diabetic glomerulopathy and relationship to hypertension.

The mutual relationship between elevated blood pressure and structural changes in the kidney is still an area with more open questions than clear answers. Indirect evidence is available concerning one aspect: When hypertension is present it has a significant impact on the further progression of the structural changes. This evidence is available only in terms of the effect of antihypertensive treatment on the preservation of renal function. Since it has been shown that the demise in renal function in long-term diabetics is closely related to the development of advanced diabetic glomerulopathy, it seems likely that normalization of the blood pressure leads to a slowing of this development. Structural studies to elucidate these interactions are, however, not available. An intriguing question is whether the relationship is interactive also in the other direction. Focusing on the alterations within the glomeruli, the fact is that the glomerulopathy develops over several years before it come to the stage when clinical signs appear. Thus, diabetics with "incipient nephropathy" clearly demonstrate basement membrane (BM) accumulation, showing as increased BM-thickness and increase in mesangial matrix volume. Since this is the most likely point of time for hypertension to develop the necessary condition obtains, that the development of hypertension might be triggered by structural abnormalities in the kidney. The mechanisms of action at this point of time remain speculative. The relationship between structural parameters characterizing diabetic glomerulopathy and the blood pressure level was studied in a series of 14 IDDM patients, representing a span of renal functional impairment. Mean blood pressure in the group was 117 mmHg, with a range from 87-122 mmHg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)