Nephropathy in type II diabetes

Summary

The incidence and prevalence of endstage renal failure from renal involvement in patients with type II diabetes has recently increased in the Western world and in Asia. Interesting differences of prevalence are found between different nations. The reasons for the recent increase in the frequency of nephropathy in type II diabetes include (i) an increasing prevalence of type II diabetes, (ii) aging of the population and (iii) improved survival of patients with type II diabetes. Today patients more frequently live long enough to experience diabetic nephropathy. In contrast to previous opinion, no major differences with respect to renal involvement are found between type I and type II diabetes. This concerns renal hemodynamics as well as renal histology, although non-specific changes presumably of an ischemic nature are more frequently found in patients with type II diabetes. The renal risk appears to be similar in type II diabetes, i.e. cumulative prevalence of proteinuria and the same is true for the rate of progression to renal failure.

Key words

Diabetes mellitus - diabetic nephropathy - type II diabetes - microalbuminuria - hypertension - uremia