Antiproteinuric and anti-inflammatory effects of thiazolidinedione

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is the most common cause of chronic renal failure worldwide. Only a few oral antidiabetic drugs can be used for treating type 2 diabetes in patients with renal failure. Among them is thiazolidinedione, which is the agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ. PPAR-γ receptors are expressed in many tissues including the kidney. Recently, beneficial effects of PPAR-γ agonists on several aspects related to renal function have been reported. These drugs have been shown to have favourable haemodynamic and anti-inflammatory effects on the kidneys. On the other hand, there is a rising concern on the association between thiazolidinedione treatment and the risk of cardiovascular disease. In the present paper, we review the recent studies that evaluated these potential effects of thiazolidinedione in patients with kidney diseases. © 2008 The Authors.