Background: Diabetes nephropathy is a common complication of diabetes mellitus patients.Early detection of renal impairment can improve the quality of life of patients.Purpose: The value of total GFR

serum creatinine

24-hour urine protein excretion in diabetes mellitus patients with renal impairment were evaluated.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 147 patients with diabetes undergoing routine renal dynamic imaging was undertaken.The cases were divided into three groups according to the illness duration: group 1 of not more than five years

group 2 of five to ten years

Gr.3: more than ten years.The 22 renal transplant donors were selected as the normal control group.The total GFR

serum creatinine and 24-hour urinary protein excretion of all patients were measured before the treatments

and the data were statistically analyzed.Results: There was no significant differences in renal function between the two kidneys of in the diabetes mellitus patients(P=0.536).Serum creatinine and total GFR had significant correlation(R2=0.762)

but no significant relationship between the 24-hour urine protein and the total GFR or serum creatinine.In the early and middle times of renal function impairment

the total GFR and serum creatinine have significant difference in different time periods(P<0.05).During the mid-late times of renal function impairment

total GFR and serum creatinine have no statistically significant differences(P value is 0.781

0.297).24-hour urine protein quality had no statistical differences in each stage.However

the total GFR is more sensitive than the serum creatinine in evaluation of early impairing of renal function.Conclusions: There is significant correlation between serum creatinine and total GFR.Both of them can reflect the degree of diabetic renal injury

but the total GFR is more sensitive than serum creatinine in early degree.24-hour urine protein quantitative can not evaluate the degree of impaired renal function alone.