Pathogenesis of renal microvascular complications in diabetes mellitus

Microvascular disease is the main determinant in the development of late complications in diabetes mellitus. This is obvious for diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy, but changes in the microcirculation may also play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy. Although the pathogenesis of diabetic microangiopathy is incompletely understood, it is likely that it involves an interaction between metabolic and functional/haemodynamic factors. Together with genetic and environmental factors this results in the development of microvascular complications.