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Renal echo-3D and microalbuminuria in children of diabetic mothers: a preliminary study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2013

B. Cappuccini
Affiliation:
Department of Neonatology, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
E. Torlone
Affiliation:
MISEM, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
C. Ferri
Affiliation:
Clinical Pathology, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
S. Arnone
Affiliation:
MISEM, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
S. Troiani
Affiliation:
Pediatric Cardiology, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
V. Bini
Affiliation:
MISEM, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
G. Bellomo
Affiliation:
Department of Nephrology, MVT Hospital, Todi (PG), Italy
G. Barboni
Affiliation:
Department of Neonatology, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
G. Di Renzo*
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Centre of Perinatal, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
*
*Address for correspondence: G. Di Renzo, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology and Centre of Perinatal, Perinatal Medicine, Santa Maria della Misericordia Hospital, University Hospital of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. (Emails: elisabetta.torlone@ospedale.perugia.it, direnzo@unipg.it)

Abstract

Maternal diabetes has assumed epidemic relevance in recent years and animal studies have provided some evidence that it may cause abnormalities in renal development and a reduction in nephron endowment in the offspring; however, human data are lacking. The renal cortex contains ∼95% of the glomeruli and its volume could be taken as a surrogate measure of glomerular number; based on this assumption, we measured renal cortex volume and in addition, microalbuminuria in a homogeneous sample of 42 children of diabetic (pregestational, n = 13, and gestational, n = 29) mothers, compared with 21 healthy children born of non-diabetic mothers. The offspring of diabetic mothers showed a significant reduction of renal cortex volume and higher albumin excretion compared with controls, possibly attributable to a reduction in the number of nephrons and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Although further studies on a larger sample are necessary, our preliminary findings suggest that maternal diabetes may affect renal development with sequelae later in life, requiring closer monitoring and follow-up. Furthermore, the importance of strict maternal diabetes management and control must be emphasized.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the International Society for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 2013 

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