Definition:

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), also called diabetic kidney disease, is a microvascular complication of diabetes that induces dysfunction in various cell types of the kidney, ultimately leading to renal failure. A clinical syndrome of DN is characterized by decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, thickening of the peripheral glomerular basement membrane, glomerular hypertrophy, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, increased excretion of albumin, and decreased creatinine clearance. It has been reported that angiotensin-converting enzyme, vascular endothelial growth factor A, and superoxide dismutase 2 are associated with DN.