Alvarez M. Unmasking the silent epidemic: Mortality trends in diabetic nephropathy. World J Nephrol 2025; 14(3): 108099 [DOI: 10.5527/wjn.v14.i3.108099]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Mauricio Alvarez, MD, Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Militar Central, Tv. 3C No. 49-02, Bogota 110221, Distrito Capital de Bogotá, Colombia. mauricioalvarez613@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Nephrol. Sep 25, 2025; 14(3): 108099 Published online Sep 25, 2025. doi: 10.5527/wjn.v14.i3.108099
Unmasking the silent epidemic: Mortality trends in diabetic nephropathy
Mauricio Alvarez
Mauricio Alvarez, Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Militar Central, Bogota 110221, Distrito Capital de Bogotá, Colombia
Author contributions: Alvarez M has completed the entire manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Mauricio Alvarez, MD, Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Militar Central, Tv. 3C No. 49-02, Bogota 110221, Distrito Capital de Bogotá, Colombia. mauricioalvarez613@gmail.com
Received: April 7, 2025 Revised: April 23, 2025 Accepted: May 18, 2025 Published online: September 25, 2025 Processing time: 165 Days and 19.7 Hours
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus is a major contributor to kidney failure, with diabetic nephropathy being a common microvascular complication. The increasing prevalence of diabetes and its complications suggests a rise in associated morbidity and mortality. Recent studies highlight increased mortality related to diabetic kidney disease, with disparities across demographic and geographic groups. Novel pharmacological treatments, including sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, and glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, offer promise in slowing disease progression and reducing renal mortality. However, the growing epidemics of obesity and diabetes necessitate prioritizing public health policies focused on primary and secondary prevention, along with comprehensive multidisciplinary care.
Core Tip: The rising incidence of diabetes and its complications, including diabetic nephropathy, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies. While new pharmacological treatments offer benefits, prioritizing public health policies focused on prevention and multidisciplinary care is crucial to effectively reduce the progression of chronic kidney disease and its associated mortality.
