Clinical and pathological factors associated with progression of diabetic nephropathy

As an important complication of diabetic mellitus, diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Given the diminished quality of life and the economic cost, identification of the risk factors for DKD and initiation of in-time therapies are of great importance. The initiators of DKD include hyperglycemia and predisposing genes, while the promotors of DKD include hyperglycemia, albuminuria, hypertension, dyslipdemia, insulin resistance, anemia, long duration of diabetes, smoking, ethnicity, westernization, sex, age, and so on. This article summarizes the values and limitations of some factors in the development and progression of DKD. Further study is needed to establish whether modulating these factors can improve the outcomes of DKD.