Initiation and Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy

A clinical diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy can be made in a patient with diabetes on the basis of persistent albuminuria (>300 mg per 24 hours), the presence of diabetic retinopathy, and the absence of any clinical or laboratory evidence of other kidney or renal tract disease.1 This definition is valid in patients with either non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).Nephropathy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetes mellitus. Multiple factors contribute to the initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy, including genetic and racial predisposition, glycemic and other metabolic abnormalities, alterations in systemic and . . .