This study included 60 insulin dependent diabetic male patients in 3 groups according
to urinary albumin excretion . Group I with normal albuminuria (urine albumin < 30
mg/day), group II with microalbuminuria (urine albumin 30-300 mg/day) and group III
with macroalbuminuria (urine albumin > 300mg/day). Each diabetic group included 20
cases and these groups were compared with control group comprised of 20 healthy
subjects. The present work was undertaken to study urinary transferrin and iron in
diabetic patients with varying amounts of alburninuria. The following were the results of
this work:
- There was significant increase (P < 0.05) in urinary transferrin and iron in all the
studied diabetic groups compared to the normal control; and this increase occurrs
early in the course of the diabetic renal disease.
- The iron/transferrin ratio in urine was much higher than that in serum in all the
diabetic groups. This means that iron is present in the urine in marked excess than its
carrier transferrin.
- There was significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) between urinary albumin and
urinary transferrin in both the micro and macro albuminuric diabetic groups.
- There was significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) between urinary albumin and
urinary iron in all the diabetic groups.
- There was significant positive correlation (P <0.05) between urinary iron and urinary
transferrin in the nurcroalburninuric diabetic group.
From this work we can conclude the following:
- Transferrin which has the similar molecular size as albumin, its urinary excretion in
excess as well as the excess excretion of urinary iron in diabetics may suggest the
possibility of development of glomerular disease and nephropathy.
glucose (Trinder, 1969).
- Estimation of serum fructosamine
(Johnson et al., 1982).
- Urine analysis to exclude urinary tract
infections.
- Complete blood picture including haemoglobin
%.
- Estimation of serum and urinary creatinine
(Husdan, 1968).
- Estimation of serum albumin (Doumas,
1971).
- Estimation of urinary albumin excretion/
24 hours (Dona et al.,1987).
- Estimation of serum and urinary transferrin
(Utennann. 1989).
- Estimation of serum and urinary iron by
using atomic absorption spectrophotometer
(Willis et al., 1960). |
