Which Patients with Obesity Are at Risk for Renal Disease?

Abstract

Obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) is an increasingly recognized cause of end-stage kidney disease. The most common clinical presentation is a slowly increasing nonnephrotic proteinuria that is followed by a progressive decline of kidney function. Key histological findings are glomerulomegaly and lesions of focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis. A central pathogenic mechanism is the increased sodium reabsorption by proximal tubules that typically accompanies obesity. This causes a decrease in the offer of sodium to the macula densa in the distal nephron, which results in a vasodilation of afferent glomerular arterioles and glomerular hyperfiltration. From a clinical point of view, it is essential to differentiate focal segmental glomerulosclerosis secondary to obesity from primary glomerular processes, which requires a careful differential diagnosis. Diet-induced weight loss, bariatric surgery, and renin-angiotensin blockers are the fundamental therapeutic measures in ORG. The recently developed sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist represent a significant advance in renal protection and will probably improve clinical kidney outcomes in ORG.