Abstract

AIM: In this study, the relationship of zincuria and microalbuminuria in diabetes mellitus was investigated. MATERIAL and METHOD: Three groups were made for this study: forty non insulin dependent diabetic patients (NIDDM) who had microalbuminuria (lst Group), forty type II diabetic patients (NIDDM) who had no microalbuminuria (2nd Group), and forty healthy volunteers as control group (3rd Group).We did not detect any differences in duration of diabetes mellitus between Group 1 and Group 2. Twenty-four hour urine samples of ali cases were collected and urinary zinc concentrations were measured. RESULTS: In microalbuminuric patients zincuria was higher than the normoalbuminuric patients. The zincuria in normoalbuminuric patients was higher than the control group. Also there was a positive correlation between microalbuminuria and zincuria. CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus is associated with highly significant increase in urinary zinc excretion, even in the early stages of the disease and there is also a positive correlation between the concentrations of urinary albumin and zinc.