Decreased urinary concentration of Tamm-Horsfall protein is associated with development of renal failure and cardiovascular death within 20 years in type 1 but not in type 2 diabetic patients.
Objective. The first changes in the diabetic kidney are glycogen deposits in the epithelial cells of the thick ascending limb of Henle. These cells produce Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP). Is low excretion of THP associated with the development of renal insufficiency or cardiovascular disease? Material and methods. Urine samples were collected at baseline in patients with type 1 (n=131) and type 2 (n=