Diabetic Nephropathy affects approximately 30 percent of diabetics. It is caused by microangiopathy, the damage to fine capillaries and capillaries in the kidney glomeruli, capillary tuft where urine is produced by blood filtration. The first symptom of Nephropathy is protein penetration from blood into urine, first in small quantities (microalbuminuria) that can be detected by a special test early enough. The penetration levels of protein gradually increase leading to a gradual deterioration in renal functions that may eventually lead to renal failure. Diabetic Nephropathy is the result of chronic hyperglycemia with all its impact such as the negative effect of glycation in proteins and tissues.
The stages of diabetic nephropathy:
Incipient nephropathy
Incipient nephropathy is the first clinical manifestation of nephropathy. Microalbuminuria occurs approximately 5 to 10 years after the onset of diabetes.
Overt nephropathy
After a prolonged period of progression, overt nephropathy occurs with substantially higher protein penetration into the blood, characterised by chronic proteinuremia. This may even eventually lead to renal failure.
Microalbuminuria – the penetration of protein into urine should be tested in each diabetic patient at least once a year. If Nephropathy has already been diagnosed - twice a year.