Renal Biopsy in Patients with Diabetes: Indications, Results, and Clinical Predictors of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Objective: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common etiologies of end-stage kidney disease. Kidney biopsies are performed less frequently in patients with diabetes; however, these patients can have glomerular diseases other than diabetic nephropathy. We investigated the prevalence, etiologies, and clinical predictors of non-diabetic kidney disease (NDKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods: The biopsy findings and clinical and laboratory features of 54 patients with type 2 diabetes were analyzed retrospectively.

Results: We found NDKD in 38 (60.4%) patients. We demonstrated that the presence of diabetic retinopathy was associated with an increased risk of DKD (p=0.048). Serum creatinine levels, microscopic hematuria, and diabetes duration were not found to be associated with NDKD. Proteinuria was found to be significantly higher in patients with DKD (p=0.044). The most common diagnosis was focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (25.9%). The second and third most frequent diagnoses were membranous nephropathy (11.1%) and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (7.4%), respectively.

Conclusion: Patients with diabetes may have NDKD. According to the high rate of NDKD in our study, we suggest that kidney biopsies in patients with diabetes, especially in those with atypical findings, should be performed more frequently.

Cite this article as: Artan AS, Gürsu M, Çoban G, Elçioğlu ÖC, Kazancıoğlu R. Renal Biopsy in Patients with Diabetes: Indications, Results, and Clinical Predictors of Diabetic Kidney Disease. Turk J Nephrol 2021; 30(1): 2-8.