Abstract
To determine the value of measurig serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity (SACEA) and to ascertain the relationship between SACEA and renal functions in patients with diabetic and/or renal disease, 96 patients and 45 healthy controls were studied. The SACEA was significantly increased, relative to that of controls, in dibetic patients without nephropathy and in those with nephropathy. It was significantly elevated in diabetic patients with nephropathy. compared to patients without nephropathy. There was no correlation between SACEA and glomerular filtration rate. However, in comparison with diabetic nephropathy, the filtration fraction (FF) was significantly decreased in the presence of diabetes with out nephropathy, IgA nephropathy, and idiopathic membranous nephropathy. These results suggest that the SACEA and FF determination may be useful in the differential diagnosis of kidney disease in diabetic patients associated with proteinuria.
