Genetic susceptibility and the role of hypertension in diabetic nephropathy

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Abstract
Evidence exists to suggest that some individuals with diabetes have a genetic predisposition to diabetic nephropathy. Cases of nephropathy cluster in families and a parental history of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes is more common in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Current evidence favours a role for hypertension in the genetic susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy. This review focuses on the recent evidence for genetic susceptibility, the role and mechanisms of hypertension in the predisposition to nephropathy and the potential of a novel sib-pair approach to identify susceptibility genes.