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Nephropathy, diabetic: Kidney disease associated with long-standing diabetes. Called Kimmelstiel-Wilson disease (or syndrome), it affects the network of tiny blood vessels (the microvasculature) in the glomerulus, a key structure in the kidney that is composed of capillary blood vessels and which is critically necessary for the filtration of the blood. Features of Kimmelstiel-Wilson disease include the nephrotic syndrome with excessive filtration of protein into the urine (proteinuria), high blood pressure (hypertension), and progressively impaired kidney function. When severe, Kimmelstiel-Wilson disease leads to kidney failure, end-stage renal disease, and the need for chronic kidney dialysis or a kidney transplant.

The disorder is named for Paul Kimmelstein (1900-70), a German-born pathologist in the U.S., and Clifford Wilson (1906-), an English physician. It is also known as "intercapillary glomerulonephritis."

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