Urinary podocin level as a predictor of diabetic kidney disease

Albuminuria showed to be a deteriorating condition in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) associated with high morbidity and mortality. A need for a novel marker for early detection of DKD development and progression becomes mandating.

To study the clinical value of urinary podocin as an early marker of diabetic kidney disease and its association with severity of the disease.

Patients and This study included 45 individuals with type 2 DM whose GFR >60 mL/min/1.73 m2 , recruited from Ain Shams University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Patients were further divided into three groups according to urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR). In addition to, ten healthy volunteers serving as the control group was enrolled in the study. Routine chemistry including serum creatinine, fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, albumin, lipid profile, urine analysis, ACR and urinary podocin quantification were conducted for all participants (by ELISA method).

Podocin was higher in patients with ACR <30 mg/g, ACR 30-299 mg/g and ACR ≥ 300 mg/g versus healthy controls, respectively (P<0.001). Both GFR and serum albumin showed highly significant negative correlations with urinary podocin. Significant positive correlations were detected between urinary podocin with blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine, FBG, HbA1c, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

Urinary podocin is assumed to be a promising marker for early DKD detection in type 2 DM patients.