Birthweight and risk of chronic kidney disease after a type 2 diabetes diagnosis in the DD2 cohort – published online 01/02/2025

Aleksander L. Hansen, Christian F. Christiansen, Charlotte Brøns, Leonie M. Engelhard, Torben Hansen, Jens S. Nielsen, Peter Vestergaard, Kurt Højlund, Niels Jessen, Michael H. Olsen, Henrik T. Sørensen, Peter Rossing, Reimar W. Thomsen, Allan Vaag

Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. It was recently reported that among individuals with recent-onset type 2 diabetes, those with a low birthweight had a markedly earlier onset of diabetes, less obesity, less family history of diabetes, a greater use of glucose-lowering medications and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. In this issue, Hansen et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-024-06357-4) report that individuals with recent-onset type 2 diabetes and a low birthweight (especially <2500 g) also exhibit a higher risk of incident chronic kidney disease. This elevated risk appears to be largely reflected by a higher urine albumin/creatinine ratio. The authors conclude that while the precision of the risk estimates was limited, these results further support the notion of low birthweight as an early-life marker for a more severe type 2 diabetes disease course.