Association of lipid abnormalities and oxidative stress with diabetic nephropathy

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by progressive loss of renal function. Although the burden of CKD in India cannot be assessed accurately, its approximate prevalence is believed to be 800 per million populations (pmp), and the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is 150–200 pmp. Diabetic nephropathy is a leading cause of ESRD worldwide. Another cause of ESRD is dyslipidemia, which is one of the most common quantitative lipid abnormalities in patients with CKD. In diabetes, the total cholesterol and triglyceride levels rise as the albumin excretion rate increases, leading to renal injury. Oxidative stress generated by hyperglycemia increases reactive oxygen species production, which causes cellular dysfunction and damage, and ultimately results in diabetic micro- and macro-vascular complications. Therefore, lipids may represent a useful clinical tool for not only identifying patients at a high risk of developing CVD but also assessing the development and progression of renal disease. In this review, we summarize the effects of lipid abnormalities and oxidative stress in patients with diabetes and nephropathy.