Diabetic Nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy, also known as diabetic kidney disease, is a chronic loss of kidney function in people with diabetes mellitus, affecting approximately one quarter of adults with diabetes in the United States. It is commonly associated with protein in the urine, high blood pressure, and declining kidney function over time; early symptoms are typically absent, but swelling of the legs is often the first symptom patients notice, usually indicating advanced disease. It is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease worldwide, and is associated with increased mortality risk, particularly from cardiovascular complications.