The Level of Serum Albumin Is Associated with Renal Prognosis in Patients with Diabetic Nephropathy

Objective. Although hypoalbuminemia is frequently found in most patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN), its relationship to the severity and progression of DN remains largely unknown. Our aim was to investigate the association between the serum albumin levels and clinicopathological features and renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and biopsy-proven DN. Materials and Methods. A total of 188 patients with T2DM and biopsy-proven DN followed up for at least one year were enrolled. The patients were divided into four groups based on the albumin levels: normal group: ≥35 g/L (n=87); mild group: 30-35 g/L (n=34); moderate group: 25-30 g/L (n=36); and severe group: