ABSTRACT

Diabetes is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States and accounts for 40% of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients requiring renal replacement therapy [1]. Compared with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the duration of diabetes is better defined in type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) where nephropathy rarely occurs before 5 years duration. The nephropathy incidence rises in T1DM after 5 years until a peak at 15–20 years [2]. There may 150even be a specifically susceptible population of T1DM patients, since the incidence of nephropathy declines after 20 years. African-Americans [3], Mexican-Americans [3], and Native Americans [4] have a higher prevalence of type-2 diabetic nephropathy than Caucasians.