EFFECT OF A 4-YEAR TREATMENT WITH THE CAL CIUM-CHANNEL-BLOCKER NITRENDIPINE IN MICROALBUMINURIC PATIENTS WITH TYPE-I DIABETES-MELLITUS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 4-year treatment with nitrendipine in normotensive, microalbuminuric patients with typ e-I diabetes mellitus. Six patients with type-I diabetes mellitus (two women, four men, age 36 +/- 2 years, duration of diabetes 17 +/- 3 ye ars, albuminuria < 300 mg/24 h, hemoglobin A(1c) 7,9 +/- 0,6%) were fo llowed up for 4 years. Patients received 20 mg nitrendipine per day. O n the average, nitrendipine treatment decreased urinary albumin excret ion by 63 +/- 33%. The decrease in albumin/creatinine ratio averaged 5 2,7 +/- 15,9% (p < 0,05). Creatinine clearance and hemoglobin A(1c) re mained unchanged. Long-term treatment of microalbuminuric type-I diabe tic patients with calcium antagonists such as nitrendipine may be as e ffective as the treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor s in the secondary prevention of diabetic nephropathy.