Diabetes and the kidney

Caused by an epidemic increase in obesity and diabetes and metabolic syndromes, diabetic nephropathy has become a leading cause of end-stage renal disease in many developed countries. The publication at hand provides a concise overview of the current state of clinical and basic research in the field. It starts with a summary of the epidemiology and genetics of diabetic nephropathy in different ethnic groups, followed by a review of its clinical manifestation, the link with the metabolic syndrome and obesity, and the pathology of diabetic nephropathy. Building on this basis, the latest findings on pathogenetic, epigenetic and inflammatory mechanisms are presented. The publication also looks at advances in the areas of tubulopathy and the kallikrein-kinin system as well as at the latest animal models and the role of lipoproteins and proteomics. This is followed by a discussion of promising therapeutic approaches such as experimental anti-fibrotic strategies, stem cell therapy and pancreatic transplantation; expert reviews on the emerging entity of new onset diabetes after transplantation and the preventive strategies for diabetic nephropathy conclude the material presented. Written by a panel of leading international experts, this book is highly recommended for nephrologists, diabetologists, internist, transplant physicians, scientists, geneticists, epidemiologists and stem cell biologists working in the field of diabetic nephropathy.