In February 2019, the magazine Diabetology Act reported the results of a study of smoking and various other factors on kidney disease in people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Researchers from the University of Leicester and the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom combined thirteen studies on the topic and analyzed the results as if they were a large study of 20,056 participants who had type 2 diabetes.
When the kidneys lose their normal capacity to filter the blood, albumin, a blood protein, spills out into the urine. One way to diagnose kidney disease is with a urine albumin test. The risk of having albuminuria, or albumin in the urine, was more than double for smokers than for nonsmokers.
- older age raised the risk by 24 percent,
- the duration of diabetes raised it by 78 percent,
- systolic blood pressure (top number) raised it more than six times, and diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) raised it 85 percent.
Participants who continued to smoke increased their risk of albuminuria by 23 percent each year. After nine years, the smoking participants had increased their risk to 53 percent. After 16 years, smokers increased their risk nearly sixfold. From these results, the researchers concluded that smoking cessation should be done early in the disease.
About 25 percent of people with type 2 diabetes have kidney disease. High blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels that make up a large part of the kidneys. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that also damage blood vessels, putting the individual at risk for atherosclerosis, a buildup of waxy substance inside the vessels. The buildup reduces the kidneys’ ability to filter waste from the blood and produce hormones necessary for good health.
The nicotine in tobacco is highly addictive, so it’s not a good idea not to start smoking. Fortunately, there is help for those who are already addicted. The World Health Organization publishes “A guide for tobacco users to quit smoking”, with…
- information on how to prepare to quit smoking,
- planning a smoking cessation program, and
- local sources of support to quit smoking.
According to the US National Institutes of Health, other factors that increase the risk of diabetic kidney disease are…
- not following a healthy eating plan,
- eating foods high in salt,
- be idle,
- being overweight or obese,
- have heart disease, and
- Having a family history of kidney failure.
Knowledge is power. If you have type 2 diabetes, it’s a good idea to see a nephrologist at least once a year to get the best care.