Obesity associated with hypertension or hyperlipidemia accelerates renal damage.

Obesity is known as a risk factor for nephropathy, especially nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and can aggravate renal dysfunction. However, whether these changes are caused by obesity itself or by the associated hypertension (HT) and hyperlipidemia (HC) remains unclear at present. We investigated the influence of HT and HC in obesity on glomerular morphometry. The study included cases with obesity alone (O, body mass index more than 25 kg/m(2), n = 16), O+HC (n = 8), O+HT (n = 17), HC (n = 10) alone, HT (n = 7) alone, and normal subjects (N, n = 11). Renal biopsies were examined and the glomerular diameter, and length and diameter of the glomerular capillary loop were determined using image analysis software. Clinically related data were obtained from medical records at the time of biopsy. Obesity was associated with dilatation of glomerular diameter due to glomerular loop elongation. However, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was not noted in patients with obesity only. In contrast, ESRD requiring hemodialysis was noted in group O+HT within a 7.7-year follow-up period. Furthermore, enlargement of loop diameter was noted in group O+HC, but not in HC alone. These results suggest that obesity alone may not result in glomerular hyperfiltration or renal dysfunction, but obesity associated with hypertension or hyperlipidemia may accelerate renal damage. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel