Diabetic nephropathy. Interrelation of clinical and laboratory parameters in gender and age aspects

THE AIM : to assess the relationship between clinical and laboratory parameters of diabetic nephropathy (DN), considering patients’sex and age. PATIENTS AND METHODS . A retrospective cohort study included patients with DN. Clinical-demographic and laboratory parameters were analyzed based on sex and age group. RESULTS. The mean duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus was 12.5 years (11.7 years in men; 13.1 years in women). A decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 mL/min) was found in 43.6 % of patients. The most common comorbid conditions in DN were hyperglycemia (92.6 %), arterial hypertension (62.9 %), proteinuria (50.7 %), overweight (42.2 %), obesity (31.8 %), anemia (40.9 %), and hypercholesterolemia (44.4 %). Women with DN had significantly higher age, body mass index (BMI), venous blood glucose, and total cholesterol levels, while hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), and red blood cell counts were lower compared to men. The prevalence of anemia in DN patients was 40.9 % (42.9 % in men; 57.1 % in women), with women showing more pronounced reductions in eGFR and erythrocyte morphology alterations. A negative correlation was observed between eGFR and age, BMI, systolic, pulse, and mean arterial pressure (MAP), as well as Hb, Ht, red blood cell counts, and venous blood glucose concentration. In men, eGFR significantly correlated with age, BMI, heart rate, systolic, pulse, and mean arterial pressure, Hb, Ht, red blood cells, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and blood glucose levels. In women, eGFR was associated with age, disease duration, BMI, systolic, diastolic, pulse, and mean arterial pressure, double product (DP), Hb, Ht, red blood cells, and blood glucose levels. Young patients with DN had lower erythrocyte morphology parameters and higher venous blood glucose levels. In younger patients, eGFR significantly correlated with BMI and DP; in middle-aged patients —with hemodynamic parameters, Hb, Ht, red blood cells, and blood glucose levels; and in elderly patients – with disease duration, BMI, systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure, Hb, Ht, red blood cells, and blood glucose levels. CONCLUSION . The obtained data con- firm the presence of diverse associations between clinical and laboratory parameters of DN, depending on sex and age, which may be an important factor in the progression of renal insufficiency.