Summary. Renal function and renal size have been studied in ten early insulin-dependent diabetic patients and in ten matched control subjects. Glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow and radiological kidney size were determined in each subject. Glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow were increased in diabetics (mean ___ SD: 169.6+ 16.1 and 690.1___52.6 ml/min/1.73 m 2, respectively) compared with controls (120.6+9.7 and 605.9+67.2 ml/ rain/1.73 m2; p < 0.001 and p < 0.01). Calculated kidney weight corrected to 1.73 m 2 of body surface area was elevated in diabetics (385.2+29.0 g) with respect to controls (277.5_17.5g; p <0.001). No significant differences were found between diabetics and control subjects when glomerular filtration rate was expressed per gram calculated kidney weight, while renal plasma flow was significantly lower in diabetics than control Subjects when so expressed (p <0.01). A positive correlation was found between glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow and kidney size in both controls and diabetics (p < 0.01 in all cases). These findings support the conclusion that in the early state of diabetes glomerular hyperfunction is related to enlargement of the kidneys and augmented renal plasma flow.