What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: Cross-Sectional. Population: Diabetes (n=100). Intervention: Diabetes. Primary outcome: Prevalence of renal impairment and cardiac structural changes.

What does this research mean for the field?

Cardiorenal complications, including early structural cardiac remodeling and chronic kidney disease, are highly prevalent in hospitalized diabetic patients and are closely linked to coexisting hypertension. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

June 3, 2026

Cardiorenal Involvement in Diabetes: Prevalence and Echocardiographic Findings

Key Result

Hospitalized diabetic patients exhibited a high prevalence of cardiorenal complications, including chronic kidney disease in 34% and left atrial dilatation in 43%.

Key Points

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of renal impairment and cardiac structural changes in hospitalized diabetic patients.
Cross-sectional study including 100 diabetic patients admitted to a university hospital.
Clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic data were analyzed.
Echocardiography was used to assess cardiac structure and function.
Nephropathy was observed in 24% and chronic kidney disease in 34% of patients.
Left atrial dilatation greater than 40 mm was found in 43% of patients.
95% of patients presented with hypertension, highlighting a strong association between hypertension and cardiac remodeling.

Study Design

Type

Cross-Sectional (n=100)

Multicenter

Structured PICO

Population

100 hospitalized diabetic patients evaluated for clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic evidence of cardiorenal complications.

Outcome

Prevalence of renal impairment and cardiac structural changessurrogate

Cardiorenal complications, including structural cardiac remodeling and kidney impairment, are highly prevalent in hospitalized diabetic patients, highlighting the need for routine echocardiographic and renal monitoring.

Abstract

Objective: Diabetes frequently coexists with hypertension and dyslipidemia, predisposing to significant cardiorenal complications. We aimed to assess the prevalence of renal impairment and cardiac structural changes in hospitalized diabetic patients. Design and method: A cross-sectional study was performed, including 100 diabetic patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Department of “Mother Teresa” University Hospital. Clinical, biochemical, and echocardiographic data were analyzed. Results: The average HbA1c was 8.27 ± 1.7%, and 63% of patients had dyslipidemia. Hypertension was present in 95% of cases. Nephropathy was seen in 24%, and chronic kidney disease in 34%. Echocardiography revealed left atrial dilatation (greater than 40 mm) in 43% of patients, often accompanied by hypertrophy of the septum and/or posterior wall. An extra 16% of patients had normal atrial size but showed cardiac hypertrophy. These findings indicate early structural cardiac remodeling in diabetic patients, closely linked to the coexistence of hypertension and kidney impairment. Conclusions: Cardiorenal complications are highly prevalent in hospitalized diabetic patients, even in the absence of long diabetes duration. Routine echocardiographic and renal monitoring should be considered integral to the management of high-risk diabetic populations.

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