ABSTRACT
DN is the single largest cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in adults in the United States, accounting for 44.1% cases.4 In contrast, diabetes mellitus is a lesser known cause of ESRD in children and adolescents. The number of patients with the diagnosis of ESRD secondary to diabetes, between 0 and 19 years of age in the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) in the 2008 to 2012 era was only 57 of 6204 patients, representing only 0.9% of the pediatric ESRD population. Of the 57 patients, 34 had DM2 and 23 had DM1.4 It is important to recognize that many children with diabetes mellitus are likely to grow into adulthood and will remain at risk for development of DN and ESRD later in their lives.
