When diabetic nephropathy (Class F) and Proliferative retinopathy (Class R) coexist, this is considered Class RF diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy are both micro-vascular complications which seem to be related in patients with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of adult blindness. Diabetic nephropathy causes renal failure in patients. The correlation between the two conditions were deemed ‘diabetic renal-retinal syndrome’ in 1979.
Since the two conditions are often found together, diabetes patients with both conditions are considered to have Class RF Diabetes. Class RF diabetes is more often found in Type 1 diabetics. According to uKidney.com, 90% of patients with diabetic neuropathy will also have diabetic retinopathy. In cases where there is no diabetic retinopathy in type-1, it is rare to have diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, diabetic retinopathy in type-1 diabetes is usually an indicator that diabetic nephropathy will manifest.
On the other hand, in type-2 diabetes the absence of diabetic retinopathy does not exclude the possibility of renal disease. In this case atherosclerosis is much more common than classic diabetic nephropathy. In type-2 diabetes the overlap of diabetic retinopathy and kidney disease is much lower, occurring only about 50% of the time.
Class RF Diabetes Prevention
In diabetic retinopathy, there will be a micro aneurysm in the vascular wall, causing the liquid in the vessels to leak out. This causes retinal swelling or even bleeding. In kidney disease it works the same, causing damage to the basilar membrane. Both conditions are caused by high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and/or high blood lipid. Diabetic retinopathy will often get worse as diabetic nephropathy develops.
There are measures that you can take to prevent Class RF diabetes complications. First, take active measures to control your blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels. These can narrow or block your blood vessels, leaving your eyes and kidneys lacking blood and oxygen. Next, routinely visit your optometrist and tell her of your concerns about diabetic retinopathy. Finally, have your physician test your urine routinely. If there is a protein in your urine, it means that your kidney has been damaged. Also the detection of proteinuria is a reflection of the condition of your eyes (Diabetes-kidney.org, 2011).
Protein found in urine is often found after damage is done, however. When a protein is found in the urine, the diabetic already has eye problems in most cases. In turn, once a diabetic has eye problems, the kidneys have also been damaged. Still, urine tests give you the opportunity to discover the problem as early as possible.
