THE SIGNIFICANCE OF URINARY N‐ACETYL‐ß‐D‐GLUCOSAMINIDASE FOR PREDICTING EARLY STAGE DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY

SUMMARY We studied urinary N‐acetyl‐ß‐D‐glucosaminidase (NAG) in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy in 27 non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with a microalbumin level below 20 mg on 24‐hour urine sample. Microalbumin and NAG excretion were measured in 24‐hour urine samples collected on three separate occasions within seven days of admission. Creatinine clearance was determined simultaneously. There was a significant negative correlation between the creatinine clearance and 24‐hour urinary NAG (r=‐0.38, p<0.05). Elevation of urinary NAG may indicate decreased renal function during early stage NIDDM nephropathy.