In diabetes mellitus, the presence of retinopathy strongly suggests coexisting nephropathy.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not related
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

Microvascular damage from long-standing hyperglycemia tends to affect multiple organs, so retinopathy and nephropathy often occur together. When diabetic retinopathy is present, it signals widespread microvascular disease and makes coexisting diabetic nephropathy very likely. In practice, the appearance of retinopathy should prompt renal screening (checking for proteinuria and estimating GFR) and aggressive risk-factor management to slow kidney damage. It’s not an absolute rule—some patients may have nephropathy without retinopathy and vice versa—but the association is strong, making the statement true.