Research explores new markers and timing for diabetes kidney treatments

New research highlights potential advancements in managing diabetic kidney disease (DKD) through improved monitoring and medication timing.

A study conducted in South Korea suggests that non-albumin proteinuria (NAP) could serve as a valuable marker for monitoring how patients with type 2 diabetes respond to finerenone. While albuminuria is the standard metric for assessing kidney damage, some patients experience declining function without increased albumin levels. Analyzing 477 adults, researchers found that after six months of finerenone treatment, albuminuria decreased by 30.3%, while NAP decreased by 17.5%. The reduction in NAP was particularly notable in patients with higher baseline proteinuria.

Separately, research led by National Taiwan University Hospital indicates that the timing of SGLT-2 inhibitor administration may be critical for patients recovering from severe acute kidney injury. Using data from the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, researchers examined 4,406 adults with type 2 diabetes who required dialysis following an acute kidney injury. The study suggests that starting these medicines sooner after hospital discharge may be linked to better kidney outcomes during the recovery period.