Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Associate Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathum Alkhateeb, the Scientific Affairs Unit in the College of Pharmacy/University of Baghdad, held an in-person seminar given by the PhD student in the clinical pharmacy department, pharmacist Ansam Abdulameer Yahya, about kidney injury molecule-1 and cystatin C as early biomarkers of renal dysfunction in Iraqi type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, as a part of the PhD study thesis to obtain her PhD degree, under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Dheyaa Jabbar Kadhim and the diabetes and endocrinology consultant Dr. Nassar Abdalaema Abdalhadi. The seminar, which was held in the Clinical Pharmacy Department for postgraduate students, entitled “Kidney Injury Molecule-1 and Cystatin C as Early Biomarkers of Renal Dysfunction in Iraqi Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients,” included an introduction to diabetic nephropathy and how it occurs, as it is caused by a variety of pathological factors. Therefore, we need more than one biomarker to represent the entire process. This cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic value of KIM-1 and CysC in serum as early biomarkers in diabetic nephropathy. Since there is no previous study on the diagnostic value of KIM-1 in Iraqi type 2 diabetes patients, this study is considered the first in this field for Iraqi patients. This study, which included 161 type 2 diabetic patients divided into two groups: type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy included 98 patients, and normal buminuric type 2 diabetic patients included 63 patients, concluded that serum levels of KIM-1 and CysC can be considered early biomarkers for diabetic nephropathy in addition to eGFR. Also, there was a strong correlation between CysC and KIM-1 in the blood, as well as other vital kidney biomarkers with worsening kidney function.
