However, the IDDM Type-1 diabetes continues to be a rare disorder in Pakistan. The findings showed that the incidence of Type 1 per 100,000 people per year is 1.01 for males and 1.04 females. According to a WHO survey, Pakistan was at number 8 in the world in the prevalence of diabetes in 1995 and if interventional strategies are not adopted and implemented Pakistan will be ranked at number 4 in the year 2025, having 14.5 million diabetics. Proteinuria usually develops after 35 years of diabetes and if patient survives a longer period with diabetes and with developing nephropathy, the chances of his developing nephropathy are extremely low.
Normal kidneys transplanted into patients with diabetes develop lesions.
These observations support the notion that exposure to the diabetic mellitus rather than an intrinsic defect in the kidneys predisposes patients to the development of diabetic nephropathy. Medical experts have stressed the need for measures to create public awareness about the diabetes and to educate people and doctors to focus on main risk factors.