New method of early detection of diabetic nephropathy aimed at children, teens

Early detection can make a huge difference for children and young adults with diabetic nephropathy. A new testing method has been proven to detect this complication of diabetes more quickly and in a more effectively.

Led by Ioannis Papassotiriou, PhD, of Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital in Greece, this new method would improve early detection process of diabetic nephropathy, which affects 20 to 40 percent of type 1 and 2 diabetic patients. Current methods detect this complication through an increased amount of urinary albumin excretion, but diabetic nephropathy starts developing before a noticeable rise.

The research team found that the growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40) can be used in the early detection of diabetic nephropathy. In a study of 56 type 1 diabetes patients ages 9 to 15 and 49 healthy controls ages 6 to 19, testing for GDF-15 and YKL-40 showed that, over a 12-month period, the rates of these proteins both rose. This rise correlated directly with a decline in kidney function.

"This is the first study to demonstrate a predictive role for serum GDF-15 and YKL-40 as early markers of diabetic nephropathy in children and adolescents with [type 1 diabetes] before severe overt nephropathy occurs," said Papassotiriou. "Defining new predictors as supplementary tests to urinary albumin excretion for the early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy could accelerate effective management and treatment approaches needed to minimize the rates of severe renal morbidity and mortality in young patients with [type 1 diabetes]."