Subscribe
Diabetic nephropathy
How many years can a person with diabetic nephropathy live?
Diabetic nephropathy is divided into several stages, from mild to severe. In the early stage, patients only have an increased glomerular filtration rate and the proteinuria is not significant. As the disease progresses, the protein in the urine increases, eventually leading to renal failure and even developing into uremia. The entire process can last many years, with some patients experiencing it for up to ten years. In fact, when diabetic nephropathy progresses to its final stage, uremia, patients still have many treatment options, such as hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or kidney transplantation, and even combined kidney and pancreas transplantation. Therefore, how long a patient can live depends on the patient's age, presence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and the choice of treatment methods, among other factors.
Does diabetic nephropathy require a biopsy?
Whether a patient with diabetic nephropathy needs a biopsy depends on the condition of the patient. Firstly, if the kidney disease is in the early stages and the blood creatinine level has not exceeded 256 micromoles per liter, a kidney biopsy can be considered. Otherwise, if the blood creatinine level exceeds 256 micromoles per liter, a biopsy is no longer meaningful since significant fibrosis and hardening of kidney tissue have already occurred. At this point, if it is unclear whether the proteinuria is caused by diabetes or another disease, a kidney biopsy can be considered to diagnose the cause and extent of glomerular damage, and to provide a basis for treatment.
How to supplement for anemia in diabetic nephropathy?
Patients with diabetic nephropathy who exhibit anemia are often in a state of chronic renal failure. This anemia caused by chronic kidney disease is mainly due to the decreased secretion of erythropoietin by the kidneys. Therefore, treatment involves the use of erythropoietin to stimulate bone marrow hematopoiesis. In addition to this medication, patients generally also need to supplement with iron preparations, such as ferrous succinate, sucrose iron, etc., and take oral folic acid, all of which are raw materials for blood formation. Furthermore, if patients have severe malnutrition, they should also supplement with foods rich in protein, such as eggs, milk, chicken, duck, fish, etc. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor.)
How is diabetic nephropathy diagnosed?
The diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy primarily relies on the clinical symptoms and medical history of the patient. Such patients often exhibit proteinuria, sometimes even severe proteinuria, and may also experience renal failure. Additionally, these patients have a history of diabetes, usually extending over ten years, followed by renal damage, and often accompanied by diabetic retinopathy. In such cases, a preliminary diagnosis can be made based on clinical features. However, there is still a risk of misdiagnosis, as the proteinuria could also be caused by other diseases affecting the glomeruli. Therefore, to confirm the diagnosis, it is best to conduct a renal biopsy, which can provide a definitive diagnosis.