[Epidemiology of diabetic nephropathy]

The epidemiology of diabetic nephropathy (DN) should be approached from two angles: a) incidence of diabetic nephropathy in patients with diabetes, and b) epidemiology of chronic renal failure (CHRF) in diabetic patients. According to data from different sources, DN affects, in all its stages, about one third of patients irrespective of the type of diabetes they suffer from, with the peak rate of incidence after 15 years of duration of the illness. It is estimated that the rate of DN prevalence is 4-8% of patients monitored in diabetes centres. In addition, a significant portion of diabetics, especially the type 2 diabetic patients, are affected by the non-diabetic type nephropathy of primarily atherosclerotic etiology. Currently, DN is the principal cause of CHRF in advanced industrial countries (Western Europe, USA,Japan). A similar trend has been recorded in the Czech Republic which has one of the highest incidences of DN among the former Eastern Block countries. Most affected patients are type 2 diabetes patients. The cause of the above increase is the growing prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes, and, primarily, better care for type 2 diabetes patients who live long enough to develop severe macro and microvascular complications including DN. The principal factors influencing the risk of a diabetic patient developing DN are long-term monitoring ofglycaemia, control of hypertension, genetic (ethnic) factors, age and sex. Metabolic control has an effect on the risk of diabetic nephropathy developing in type 1 and 2 diabetes, yet it is blood pressure control which is critical for the progression of chronic renal insufficiency in DN patients. In view of the high number of diabetic patients with CHRF which, in addition, associates with their high polymorbidity and extensive demands put on medical and nursing care which is not directly associated with CHRF therapy, we have to do with a serious medical and economic problem.