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Is diabetic nephropathy an inherited complication?
K Borch-Johnsen1, K Nørgaard, E Hommel
1Steno Diabetes Centre, Gentofte, Denmark.
Kidney International
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Diabetic nephropathy, a complication of insulin-dependent diabetes, shows familial clustering. Siblings of patients with diabetic nephropathy have a higher prevalence, suggesting genetic or shared environmental factors.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Endocrinology
- Genetics
Background:
- Diabetic nephropathy affects less than 50% of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
- Genetic factors are hypothesized as potential risk markers for diabetic nephropathy development.
- Familial aggregation of diabetic nephropathy warrants further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the hypothesis that genetic factors contribute to diabetic nephropathy.
- To assess the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy in siblings of diabetic patients with and without nephropathy.
Main Methods:
- Studied diabetic siblings of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
- Identified 20 patients with nephropathy and 29 without, each with diabetic siblings.
- Defined diabetic nephropathy by urinary albumin excretion > 300 mg/24 hr.
Main Results:
- Nephropathy found in 7/21 siblings of patients with nephropathy vs. 3/30 siblings of normoalbuminuric patients (P<0.04).
- No significant differences in age, diabetes duration, sex, blood pressure, or HbA1c between sibling groups.
- Significant correlation of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c within sib-pairs (r=0.47, P<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Familial clustering of diabetic nephropathy is confirmed.
- This clustering may result from genetic inheritance or shared environmental factors.
- Correlation of HbA1c within sib-pairs suggests shared environmental influences.