RESUMEN
Sixty-three non-insulin dependent diabetic patients, 11 healthy normotensive volunteers and 10 non-diabetic hypertensive men were included in this work. For all members of the study, a morning urine sample was collected without a preservative, centrifuged, and the supernatant was test for macroalbuminuria by albustix and the creatinine was determined by alkaline picrate reaction. Microalbuminuria was also determined by a double antibody 125I radioimmunoassay. Fasting blood sample was also taken from each individual and the serum was separated and the atrial natriuretic factor [peptide] was assayed by a competitive radioimmunoassay. The results revealed a highly significant increase in ANF levels in the whole diabetic group as compared with non-diabetic one and this increase of ANF in diabetics has been explained by the volume expansion associated with hyperglycemia and that raised plasma ANF could contribute to the glomerular hyperfiltration characteristics of early diabetes