Diabetic nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease caused by diabetes, belonging to the microvascular complications of diabetes. Its main manifestations include proteinuria, hypertension, and progressive deterioration of renal function.
Long-term high blood glucose leads to glomerular hyperfiltration and hypertension, damaging the charge barrier and mechanical barrier of the glomerular basement membrane. Hyperglycemia activates abnormal metabolic pathways such as the polyol pathway and protein kinase C (PKC), promotes the release of inflammatory factors, and eventually results in glomerulosclerosis and renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.
The following groups are at higher risk of diabetic nephropathy and require special attention:
Lifestyle: smoking, poor blood glucose control, hypertension, hyperlipidemia.
Metabolic factors: hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, etc.
Genetic factors: individuals with a family history of kidney disease have a higher risk of diabetic nephropathy.
Ethnic factors: compared with Caucasians, Asians have a higher prevalence of diabetic nephropathy.