Diabetic microangiopathy: renal and retinal aspects.

Diabetic microangiopathy is a degenerative process specific to diabetes. Metabolic theory holds that the metabolic defect predisposes to vascular abnormalities, but other theory suggests that microangiopathy and metabolic disorders are of different origin. Metabolic and ultrastructural modifications in kidney and retina are reviewed. Human and animal studies suggest a specific organ response to fortuitous association of several factors leading to microvascular disease.