EARLY SIGNS OF DIABETIC NEPHROPATHY AND ULTRASOUND CHARACTERISTICS OF KIDNEYS IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 1

Introduction: Diabetic nephropathy is a chronic complication in patients with diabetes melli- tus typ 1, which leads to kidney disfunction. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the metabolic control and albuminuria with ultrasound fin- dings of morphometric measurements and registration Doppler signals of kidneys between children and youth with diabetes mellitus type 1 according to the duration of illness. Material and Methods: The retrospective-pro- spective study included 69 patients of both genders, that got diabetes mellitus type 1 when they were in the age from 2. to 25. years. Patients were divided into two groups according to the length of diabetes mellitus type 1: the first group was those whose illness had la- sted for more than 10 years, and second group with du- ration of diabetes mellitus typ 1 less than 10 years. Results: No significant difference was registered between the groups regarding frequency of albuminu- ria, but the chance of it occurring are greater in patients with longer duration of diabetes mellitus type 1. Pati- ents with albuminuria and diabetes mellitus type 1 du- ration over 10 years had higher glycated hemoglobin A1C, blood pressure, body mass index followed by en- larged volume of both kidneys. Patients with albumi- nuria and diabetes mellitus type 1 for less than 10 years had a higher creatinine clearance. Conclusion: Ultrasound dimensions and volume of the kidneys in patients with metabolic control para- meters are useful for monitoring especially in the early