[Diabetes and kidneys]. / Diabetes und Niere.

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease all over the world. Diagnosis is confirmed by measuring urin albumin excretion and calculated renal function (eGFR). Once the diagnosis is confirmed there should be a search for confounding cardiovascular risk factors and even established cardiovascular disease because of the associated high cardiovascular risk. In type 1 diabetes metabolic control is the main issue. In case of renal impairment and in patients with type 2 diabetes a multifactorial approach is necessary, which consists of dietary advise, metabolic control, lowering elevated blood-pressure, cessation of smoking, ASS and lipid-lowering drug-therapy. Special drugs for the treatment of diabetes-induced renal disease are not available.

Membrane differential filtration is safe and effective for the long-term treatment of Refsum syndrome--an update of treatment modalities and pathophysiological cognition.

Refsum's disease is a complex and difficult to diagnose storage disease caused by complex autosomal recessive peroxisomal disorder in which mutations of phytanolyl/pristanoyl-CoA-hydroxilase are the main cause. Poorly metabolised phytanic acid (PA), pristanic acid (PrA) and picolenic acid (PiA) accumulates in fatty tissues, myelin sheaths, heart, kidneys and retina, leading to retinitis pigmentosa, peripheral dissociative polyneuropathy, cerebellar ataxia ("sailors" walk), renal, cardiac and liver impairment. 65% of plasma PA and PrA is localized within VLDL, LDL and HDL lipoprotein particles. Dietary restriction of PA is mostly not sufficient to prevent acute attacks and stabilize the progressive course. LDL and VLDL bound PA/PrA can be effectively eliminated from plasma with extracorporal LDL-apheresis using membrane differential filtration. Mostly additive malnutrition will become worse the clinical picture. Latest experience with black cumin oil (nigella sativa) in a dose of 3 g/day shows a support and a regression of some malnutrition effects in PA restricted dietary and a supportive effect to MDF.