Association of type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus, autoimmunity, antinuclear antibody, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.

In a large series of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus who were screened for autoantibodies, two patients were positive for antinuclear antibodies. Both of these patients developed severe renal disease with the renal biopsy findings of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Multiple autoantibodies and circulating immune complexes were demonstrated in their sera. There was evidence suggesting complement consumption. This article illustrates that immune complex glomerulonephritis can occur in some patients with IDDM, particularly in those with antinuclear antibody and polyendocrine involvement, and that renal biopsy in such cases may have prognostic and therapeutic importance.