Physiopathological aspects related to kidney disease in individuals with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: To describe the pathophysiology of Diabetes Renal Disease (DRD), as well as to define the epidemiological aspects and clinical picture associated with this disease. Bibliographic Review: DRD is a renal disorder that results from the metabolic changes of Diabetes Mellitus (DM), responsible for high rates of global morbidity and mortality. This condition can be diagnosed in up to 40% of diabetic patients, being more common among those with type 2 DM than those with type 1 DM. Regarding its pathophysiology, it is known that DRD occurs in response to the changes triggered by hyperglycemia, initially involving glomerular hyperfiltration, followed by endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. Furthermore, the high concentration of sugar in the blood, in the long term, generates products that are harmful to certain cells in the body, especially those found in the kidneys. These processes, when combined, compromise renal function, causing a decline in the glomerular filtration rate and significant albuminuria. Conclusion: It is concluded that diabetic kidney disease is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus responsible for high rates of renal failure, whose pathophysiology encompasses a series of metabolic changes triggered by the chronic hyperglycemic state.