ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Kidney disease is one of the major chronic microvascular complications of diabetes. Tubular involvement may precede glomerular involvement and the appearance of microalbuminuria. The aim of the study was to evaluate quantitatively immunoglobulin light chains (IgLCs), kappa and lambda excretion in the urine of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with normoalbuminuria and with microalbuminuria compared to control group. RESULTS: Urinary IgLCs levels of the control group were significantly lower than diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria and diabetic patients with albuminuria. IgLCs were significantly associated with the duration of disease and negatively with estimated glomerular filtration rate. CONCLUSION: Type 2 diabetic patients can have significantly raised concentrations of urinary IgLCs before microalbuminuria or renal disease occurs. Further investigations are recommended to assess LC evaluation in the early management of diabetic renal disease.
