What Are Diabetic Nephropathy Symptoms

Diabetic Nephropathy is a life-threatening complication of Diabetes. In recent years, the population of End Stage Renal Failure due to Diabetic Nephropathy is rising year after year. Therefore, early inspection and treatment of Diabetic Nephropathy is very important for the patients. If they have the following symptoms, they should not delay their treatment any longer.

1. Proteinuria

At beginning, the glomerular filtration pressure rises and the charge barrier is changed, the urine has microalbumin. This condition can last for many years without leading to obvious clinical symptoms. With the glomerular filtration pores become bigger, the macromolecular substances can leak out into urine. Consequently, the patients with Diabetic Nephropathy will have persistent severe proteinuria. If the urine protein exceeds 3 grams per day, the prognosis of Diabetic Nephropathy is not good.

2. Edema

In the early period of Diabetic Nephropathy, the patients usually do not have edema. Only a minority of patients may have mild edema before the plasma protein level declines. When the urine protein exceeds 3 grams in 24 hours, the patients will have edema. In severe cases, the patients with will have systemic edema.

3. Hypertension

Hypertension is a common complication among the patients with Diabetic Nephropathy. In return, high blood pressure can aggravate the disease progression. Therefore, it is very important for the patients with Diabetic Nephropathy to control their blood pressure.

4. Renal insufficiency

Once Diabetic Nephropathy starts, the patients’ renal function will decline gradually. Without timely treatments, the patients will finally end up with Uremia.

5. Anemia

If the patients with Diabetic Nephropathy have azotemia, they are very possible to have mild and even moderate anemia. Usually, chalybeate therapy is no use for the anemia. For the patients with Diabetic Nephropathy, anemia is caused by disturbance of red blood cells production.


As Diabetic Nephropathy can lead to so many complications, it is very important for the patients to receive treatment once they are diagnosed with the disease. What’s more, Diabetic Nephropathy usually occurs latently. Therefore, the patients with Diabetes should do regular exam so as to find if they have renal injury in the first time.