The association between a low-carbohydrate diet score and the risk of diabetic nephropathy in women: A case-control...

Because evidence linking carbohydrate consumption to diabetic nephropathy (DN) is scarce, and the association between a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) and DN has not been investigated, we sought to investigate whether a higher LCD score is associated with DN among women.

In a case-control study, 105 women with type 2 diabetes mellitus and DN and 105 controls with type 2 diabetes mellitus and without DN who attended Kowsar Diabetes Clinic in Semnan, Iran, were matched for age and diabetes duration. The data related to anthropometric and biochemical measures were collected and a food frequency questionnaire with 147 items was used to assess dietary intake. Based on the food frequency questionnaire, we calculated an LCD score for each study participant. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to examine the association between an LCD score and the odds of developing DN.

The results of the study demonstrated that the LCD score was not significantly associated with DN in the crude model (odds ratio = 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.14-1.07; P = 0.06). However, after adjusting for several confounders, subjects in the top quartile of the LCD score were associated with a 71% lower risk of DN (odds ratio [OR] = 0.29; 95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.86; P = 0.02). A significant trend toward decreased urinary albumin excretion was found with an increase in the LCD score (P = 0.005).

A diet low in carbohydrates was inversely associated with risk of DN. Further observational studies, and preferably randomized controlled trials, are needed to confirm the present results.