The vascular abnormality localized to the vascular pole region is observed occasionally in the normal kidney, but the frequency is increased in patients with diabetic glomerulopathy. The abnormality may develop as a consequence of a long-standing diabetic glomerulopathy and might lead to less pronounced elevation of albumin excretion.

No abstract

The vascular pole area (VPA) and glomerular volume were measured in renal biopsies from 9 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients with normal albumin excretion rate (IDDM group 1), 38 IDDM patients with albumin excretion rate > 15 micrograms/min (IDDM group 2) and 10 living kidney donors (ND). The volume of individual glomeruli was estimated as the sum of profile areas factored by the measured distance between levels, t approximately 10 microns, and VPA as the sum of chords multiplied by t. Mean glomerular volume was increased in IDDM patients but reached statistical significance only in IDDM group 2 (P = 0.002 vs ND). VPA was significantly different among the groups, mean (CV%) was 2036 (29) microns2 in ND, 3555 (34) micron2 in IDDM group 1, and 3528 (48) microns2 in IDDM group 2, p = 0.004 and 0.001, IDDM versus ND. VPA calculated as a percentage of the surface area of the corresponding glomerulus was 2.4 (23)% in ND, 3.4 (27)% in IDDM group 1, and 3.3 (42)% in IDDM group 2; P = 0.007 and 0.01, IDDM versus ND. The intra-biopsy coefficient of variation was high (20-35%) and of the same order in all groups for all three measurements. Glomerular volume and absolute as well as relative size of VPA showed a positive correlation with estimates of mesangial expansion in IDDM group 2 and the VPA showed a negative correlation with GFR. Thus, part of the enlargement may represent a compensatory phenomenon triggered by the development of structural and functional abnormalities in the diabetic kidney.

1 The importance of number of tablets for patient compliance was investigated in 160 patients with mild-moderate essential hypertension treated with a ,8-adrenoceptor blocker and a thiazide diuretic. Mean BP at entry 146 + 16/92 + 8 mm Hg. 2 All patients were given pindolol 10 mg and clopamide 5 mg in one combination tablet or in separate tablets for 4 months respectively. Approximately 90% of the patients took > 90% of the prescribed dose throughout the study. 3 Mean BP decreased progressively and heart rate increased slightly. 4 Side effects were more frequently reported during the first month of the study than previously, and 30 patients discontinued the treatment. No differences in this respect were seen between 1 and 2 tablets daily. 5 Approximately 75% of the patients preferred 1 tablet daily, but combining two drugs in one tablet had no effect upon compliance.

Glycosaminoglycans are important components of all extracellular matrices. One of the glycosaminoglycans is hyaluronan, which is ubiquitously distributed throughout the connective tissue. Hyaluronan is especially abundant in the skin, in which it is of both structural and functional importance. This study describes the localization and distribution of hyaluronan in the skin of healthy individuals and of 23 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and various degrees of limited joint mobility. In normal skin, hyaluronan staining was seen in all layers but most prominently in the papillary dermis and the basement membrane zone. In the skin from diabetic patients with normal or only moderately restricted mobility of the hands (limited joint mobility grades 0 and 1), the distribution of hyaluronan was similar to that of normal skin. In the skin of patients with severe restriction in joint mobility (limited joint mobility grade 2) the staining pattern was significantly different with weak hyaluronan staining in the papillary dermis and the basement membrane zone almost devoid of hyaluronan. Moreover, an increased epidermal thickness in the latter patients was evident as well as a pronounced hyaluronan staining compared with normal epidermis.