Blood creatinine levels are normal in patients with stage 1 diabetic nephropathy. Normal serum creatinine ranges from 53 to 106 μmol/L in men and from 44 to 97 μmol/L in women.
Diabetic nephropathy is divided into five stages:
1. Stage I: It belongs to the stage of glomerular hyperfiltration and renal hypertrophy, which usually has no pathological histologic damage, so the blood creatinine level is usually normal.
2. Stage II: The glomerular filtration rate is higher than normal. Intermittent proteinuria occurs, i.e. the patient’s urinary albumin excretion rate increases after exercise and returns to normal after rest.
3. Stage III: It is the microalbuminuria period, in which the excretion rate of urinary microalbumin increases. The glomerular filtration rate starts to decrease to normal. The patient’s blood pressure may increase.
4. Stage IV: is the clinical diabetic nephropathy stage with persistent massive albuminuria or proteinuria. The clinical condition gradually worsens and may manifest as nephrotic syndrome, hypertension, and slow deterioration of renal function.
5. Stage 5: It is end-stage renal failure. The amount of urinary protein decreases due to glomerulosclerosis, and the symptoms of uremia are obvious. Dialysis treatment is needed in the end.
Patients with diabetic nephropathy are advised to go to regular hospitals in time and standardize the treatment under the guidance of doctors.