Diabetic Nephropathy Often Causes ESRD In African-American Women.(endstage renal disease)

2001 JUL 5 - (NewsRx Network) -- by Carol K. Kohn, MS. ELS(D), senior medical writer - In a study of endstage renal disease (ESRD), researchers in the United States found that African-American women with diabetes were more likely to experience ESRD as a result of diabetic nephropathy (DN) than were diabetic. African-American men.

Looking for factors that effect kidney survival, E.D. Crook and colleagues, reviewed charts of the 562 patients entering the University of Mississippi Medical Center ESRD program over a five-year period (1993-1998); 85% of patients were African-American. The authors included data between that patient's first visit and entry into the program or time to ESRD (TTE).

"DN accounted for 50.5% of ESRD cases among African-American females, but for less than 20% among African-American males." the researchers said. High blood pressure caused ERSD more often in the men.

From among the 562 patients, data from the 171 seen in the Medical Center's nephrology clinic were analyzed further. They tended to have higher serum creatinine levels (=5.92 mg/dl), indicating advanced disease, were obese and not on angiotension-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. The significant TTE determinants were initial serum creatinine level and race, statistica analysis showed ("Endstage renal disease owing to diabetic nephropathy in Mississippi: An examination of factors influencing renal survival in a population prone to late referral," Journal of investigative ...