Nephropathy and coronary death--the fatal twins in diabetes mellitus.

In summary, the decreased concentration of heparan sulphate within the extracellular matrix of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is caused by a combination of genetic factors and poor metabolic control. Decreased concentrations of heparan sulphate are seen in patients with diabetes mellitus and proteinuria and this might be the explanation for the proteinuria as well as the expansion of the mesangium and the intimal dysfunction, including increased permeability of the vessel wall to macromolecules, which is present in such patients. Thus, the effective remodelling of extracellular matrix might explain coincidence of proteinuria, decline in renal function and premature atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus.