- There are many different kinds of kidney disease, determined by causes (like diabetes and high blood pressure – hypertension) and adaptive/pathologic remodeling of kidney structure;
- Many people with diabetes may suffer from diabetic nephropathy, a condition where there is pathologic remodeling of the kidney and abnormalities related to kidney dysfunction, including the appearance of excessive protein and/or glucose in the urine, and decreased ‘eGFR – effective glomerular filtration rate;
- Not all people with diabetes develop diabetic nephropathy, but they may be affected by other disease processes leading to kidney dysfunction, including kidney infections (pyelonephritis) or inflammation (for example, kidney dysfunction associated with systemic lupus erythematosus);
- There are a number of new drugs available, including gliflozins, finerenone, and voclosporin, to treat various forms and causes of CKD. It is critically important to use the correct drug indicated for the specific type of kidney disease (diabetic kidney disease, lupus kidney disease, for example);
- In concert with colleagues at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Salem, VA, using Rametrix® Technology, Inc. technology, we recently detected unique urine molecular fingerprints indicative of diabetic nephropathy;
- In concert with colleagues at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, using Rametrix® Technology, Inc. technology, we recently detected unique urine molecular fingerprints indicative of lupus nephritis;
- These disease-associated urine molecular fingerprints could be very useful in detecting the type and severity of renal disease, without the use of invasive kidney biopsies and could be helpful in monitoring effects of treatments and progress of kidney disease.
