Diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is kidney damage caused by diabetes, affecting the glomeruli and renal blood vessels. It can progress from albumin leakage into urine to chronic kidney failure.

Glomerular basement membrane: A specialized extracellular layer in the kidney's glomeruli that helps filter blood while retaining blood cells and most proteins. Diabetes thickens and disrupts this filtration layer, contributing to albumin leakage.
Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio: A urine test that estimates albumin excretion by comparing albumin with creatinine in a spot sample. It detects albuminuria and helps stage kidney risk in diabetes.
Hypertensive nephrosclerosis: Chronic kidney damage associated with long-standing high blood pressure and small-vessel changes. It can resemble diabetic kidney disease, especially when diabetes and hypertension coexist.
Chronic kidney disease: A persistent abnormality of kidney structure or function with health implications, typically lasting at least three months. Diabetic nephropathy is one cause of this broader condition.
Podocyte: A specialized epithelial cell that wraps glomerular capillaries and helps maintain the kidney filtration barrier. Podocyte injury weakens the barrier that normally keeps albumin in the blood.
Estimated glomerular filtration rate: A calculated estimate of how much blood the kidneys filter per minute, adjusted for body size. Its decline tracks loss of kidney function as diabetic damage advances.
IgA nephropathy: A glomerular disease caused by deposits of immunoglobulin A in kidney tissue. Blood in urine or rapid decline may suggest this alternative to diabetic injury.
End-stage kidney disease: Kidney failure severe enough to require dialysis or transplantation to sustain life. Progressive diabetic injury is a major pathway to this outcome.
Glomerular hyperfiltration: An increase in filtration by kidney glomeruli, often driven by altered pressure and blood flow. Elevated filtration pressure can precede visible kidney damage in diabetes.
Renin–angiotensin system inhibitors: Medicines such as ACE inhibitors and ARBs that reduce signaling in the renin–angiotensin system. They lower blood pressure and albuminuria, slowing progression in many patients.

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