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Urinary protein is usually above normal in diabetics, even when the disease is of recent onset. Values tend to move further away from physiological levels as the condition persists. Electrophoresis reveals a selective glomerular form, even in many subjects with a quantitatively normal picture and free of signs of micro- and macroangiopathy, as these are commonly defined, whereas non-selective glomerular proteinuria is observed in patients with micro- or macroangiopathic lesions, such as marked changes in renal clearance, intense proteinuria, hypertension, chronic renal failure. It is suggested that careful evaluation of urinary proteins can be usefully associated with examination of the fundus to obtain early warning of microangiopathic lesions in the two target organs, i.e. the kidneys and retinae.