A team of international scientists have discovered a method for the early identification of people at risk of kidney disease, which could lead to better treatment of diabetes sufferers.

The study showed that microalbuminuria -- or microscopic traces of albumen in urine -- is a reliable indicator of the risk of diabetes and through early testing and proper treatment, diabetics can avoid the complications of chronic nephritis, or kidney inflammation.

Previous research has shown that one third of diabetes patients develop kidney diseases, one of the most common complications of the disease.

The study, jointly sponsored by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and Sanofi-Synthelabo Pharmaceutical Group, is one of the main activities for this year's World Diabetes Day, with the theme "Diabetes and Kidney Diseases", which falls on Nov. 14 each year.

The study was conducted simultaneously in 34 countries on 32,000 non-insulin dependent diabetes, or diabetes mellitus, sufferers, including 5,143 Chinese. It reported a slightly higher level of microalbuminuria in about 41 percent of patients.

Kong Lingzhi, of the Disease Control Department of China's Ministry of Health (MOH), said the results were significant in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

"It provided a useful tool for identifying people at high risk of kidney disease in the early stage," said Kong. "It is effective, easy and affordable."

"China has seen an increase of diabetes cases in the past two decades," said Professor Chen Jialun, of the Ruijin Hospital attached to the Shanghai Second Medical Sciences University. "The country has 23.8 million diabetes patients now and the number is expected to reach 35 million by 2010."

Nearly 200 million people around the world suffer from diabetes, statistics of the IDF show.

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts the number may exceed 300 million in the next 25 years.

The MOH has composed and published a book regarding the prevention and treatment of diabetes to mark World Diabetes Day.

(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2003)