Tubular biomarkers to assess progression of diabetic nephropathy

Despite aggressive management, many patients with diabetic nephropathy still develop end-stage renal disease. Accompanying tubulointerstitial damage is important in the progression of diabetic nephropathy. Markers of tubular damage, such as NGAL, KIM-1, and LFABP, have been proposed for monitoring the effectiveness of therapy. However, Nielsen et al. report a lack of an independent correlation between these biomarkers and glomerular filtration rate. Therefore, these markers seem to offer no improvement in the management of diabetic nephropathy. Kidney International (2011) 79, 1042 - 1044. doi:10.1038/ki.2011.9