There is a time frame for diabetic kidney disease that I have listed below as a guide to what to expect and for you to be aware of the ongoing testing that you will need to monitor your diabetic kidney disease.

If you have been diagnosed or have lived with diabetes type 1 for 5 years or more or you have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes your family doctor will need to check your blood for microalbumunuria.  Unless of course you already have had a dipstick positive proteinuria which is an abnormal loss of protein from the body that is detected into the urine.  If the test results bear a negative reading your urine will need to be checked annually.

The time frame for diabetic kidney disease is as follows:

1) During the start of diabetes the kidneys appearance is large and the glomerular filtration rate is somewhat increased.

2) Around the 2 year mark of living with diabetes the glomerular basement membrane and mesangium will start to thicken

3) There will be a silent period, which occurs for a period of around 10-15 years where there is no evidence or clinical sign that the kidneys are beginning to fail.

4) At the 15 year mark it will become obvious that the kidneys are no longer functioning at their full potential as there are elevations of waste products in the blood.  A test is performed that reveals large amounts of protein, which would not be seen, in an otherwise healthy patient.

Other factors that contribute to diabetic kidney disease:

• Odema or the gathering of water in either the legs or feet will happen due as the protein will now exceed up to 1-2 grams per day
• Inheritance from some ethnic groups or families have shown to have a higher incidence of diabetic nephropathy
• High blood pressure, which is considered to be as important as the glucose level with diabetes.  In studies it has been revealed that blood pressure that is controlled by certain drugs will slows the damage to the kidneys dramatically.
• Abnormal blood fats it has been shown that the high levels of certain cholesterol contain fats, which promote enlargement of the mesagium.
• Smoking – as heart disease is increased in diabetic nephropathy. Cigarette smoking is clearly linked to increased risk of heart disease.
• Diabetic nerve disease or neuropathy: Neuropathy worsens as kidney disease progresses.  Once dialysis has commenced some of the neuropathy disappears.

These are just some of the progressive diseases that are associated with diabetic kidney disease, I will now show you the steps that are necessary for you to now move forward to get started on treatment to either slow or stop the disease.

Step 1

A condition called microalbuminuria where small abnormal amounts of albumin are found which is a protein, that is detected in the urine.  This is one of the earliest indicators that high glucose levels perhaps could be damaging the kidneys.  If microalbumunuria is detected it may be still be able to reverse any damage that is done.

Step 2

Working with your doctor who will be able to prescribe a few treatments to either prevent or slow down diabetic kidney disease.

• Blood glucose level – by controlling your blood glucose level can help considerably to reverse the damage progress.  In recent trials in both US and UK study groups showed if you keep their blood sugar levels close to normal you will no develop diabetic nephropathy.
• Blood pressure – take control over your blood pressure and this protects your kidneys from deterioration.  You should start with a low salt diet and perhaps drugs will also be required.
• Protect the kidneys – for some that have diabetes they tend to suffer urinary tract infections, which further deteriorate the kidneys.  Keep a close eye to detect infections in order to treat as soon as possible.

With diabetic kidney disease it comes back to early detection of the disease then your doctor can discuss various treatment options with you.