DIABETES AND OBESITY IN RENAL DISEASE IN 2019, AN UPDATE

The fast growing prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes is an important challenge in nephrology. These entities are deeply interrelated. In fact, obesity and metabolic syndrome frequently precede diabetes. Also, overweight, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, pre-diabetes and diabetes are risk factors for renal disease. Obesity itself can cause specific renal disease such as obesity-related glomerulopathy or increase the risk for progression of kidney diseases irrespective of the underlying cause. The pathways involved in renal disease associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes are not completely known. Renal lipotoxicity and inflammation are major areas of research and could be involved in renal damage in these metabolic complications. Evidence of complementary small and large animal models may help to understand renal disease in these conditions. Finally, recent evidence in cardiovascular and renal protection of specific diets and new medications seem to offer promising alternatives to patients with type 2 diabetes and renal disease. All these topics will be discussed in the new meeting of DIABESITY, a working group of the ERA-EDTA.