[Clinico-Pathological Progress in Diabetic Nephropathy]

Abstract

Diabetic nephropathy is one of the major causes of the requirement for renal replacement therapy through- out the world. To overcome diabetic nephropathy, the establishment of adequate clinico-pathological pa- rameters and related biomarkers for the diagnosis and/or prognoses is required. Concomitantly, in order to define patients' status, the classification of diabetic nephropathy is widely used in Japan. This was revised by the joint committee on diabetic nephropathy, as Classification of Diabetic Nephropathy 2014, in which the estimated glomerular filtration rate and presence and amounts of albuminuria were graded. Recent progress revealed the remission and/or regression of diabetic nephropathy, which may be closely related to a better prognosis following cardiovascular and renal events. Further insights are needed into clinico-pathological characteristics in terms of laboratory medicine for early and specific diagnoses, as well as those on renal and cardiovascular outcomes. [Review].