About 35% of kidney disease patients in Syria also have diabetes, a rate similar to worldwide patterns, according to a 2026 study of 297 patients at a Damascus hospital. Gram Research analysis found that diabetic kidney disease patients had lower creatinine levels at admission than non-diabetic patients, contrary to typical expectations. This research highlights the urgent need for better diabetes and blood pressure control to prevent kidney disease progression in regions facing health crises.
Researchers in Syria studied 297 patients with chronic kidney disease to understand how diabetes affects their condition. According to Gram Research analysis, about 35% of these kidney disease patients also had diabetes. The study found that diabetic patients had different blood test results than those without diabetes, though some differences were smaller than expected. This research is important because kidney disease is becoming more common in the Middle East, largely due to rising rates of diabetes and high blood pressure. Understanding how these two diseases interact helps doctors better treat patients who have both conditions.
Key Statistics
A 2026 cross-sectional study of 297 kidney disease patients in Damascus, Syria found that 35.4% had diabetes, matching global prevalence rates for diabetes among chronic kidney disease patients.
According to research reviewed by Gram, diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease had lower serum creatinine levels upon hospital admission compared to non-diabetic kidney disease patients in a 297-patient Syrian study.
A 2026 analysis of 297 chronic kidney disease patients in Syria found that 64.6% were over age 50 and 61.6% were male, with diabetes affecting more than one-third of the cohort.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: How common diabetes is among people with chronic kidney disease and how diabetes changes their blood test results
- Who participated: 297 patients at a kidney hospital in Damascus, Syria. Most were men (62%), and most were older than 50 years old. About 35% had diabetes.
- Key finding: Diabetes affected about 35% of kidney disease patients in Syria, which matches rates seen worldwide. Surprisingly, diabetic patients had lower creatinine levels (a kidney waste product) when first admitted to the hospital compared to non-diabetic patients.
- What it means for you: If you have kidney disease, knowing whether you also have diabetes helps your doctor monitor your condition more carefully. However, this single study shows we need more research to fully understand how these two diseases interact in different populations.
The Research Details
Researchers reviewed medical records from 297 patients treated at a kidney hospital in Damascus, Syria. They looked at each patient’s chart to find out who had diabetes, who had high blood pressure, and what their blood test results showed. This type of study, called a cross-sectional study, takes a snapshot of patients at one point in time rather than following them over months or years.
The researchers measured several important blood markers: creatinine (a waste product that builds up when kidneys fail), urea (another waste product), and fasting blood glucose (blood sugar after not eating). They also calculated the MDRD score, which is a number doctors use to estimate how well kidneys are working. By comparing these measurements between diabetic and non-diabetic patients, they could see if diabetes changes these important markers.
This research approach matters because it provides real-world information from actual patients in a specific region. Syria faces unique health challenges due to ongoing conflict, which can make diabetes and kidney disease worse. By studying patients in this setting, researchers can understand whether global patterns hold true in different parts of the world and whether local factors affect how these diseases develop.
This study has some strengths and limitations to consider. The strength is that it includes a reasonable number of patients (297) from a real hospital setting, making the results relevant to actual clinical practice. However, because it only looks at one hospital in one city at one point in time, the results may not apply to all Syrians or to people in other countries. The study also cannot prove that diabetes causes changes in kidney function because it doesn’t follow patients over time. Additionally, the researchers didn’t discuss whether they adjusted for other important factors like age, blood pressure medications, or how long patients had their diseases.
What the Results Show
Among the 297 patients studied, 35.4% had diabetes and 64.6% were older than 50 years old. Most patients (61.6%) were male. The researchers found that patients with diabetes actually had lower creatinine levels when they first came to the hospital compared to patients without diabetes. This was unexpected because creatinine usually rises when kidneys are damaged, and diabetes typically damages kidneys.
When the researchers looked at fasting blood glucose levels (blood sugar measured after not eating), they found no strong connection between blood sugar levels and the kidney function markers they measured. This means that among these patients, higher blood sugar didn’t clearly predict worse kidney function based on the blood tests they checked.
The study also found that the prevalence of diabetes among Syrian CKD patients (35.4%) was similar to rates reported in other parts of the world, suggesting that diabetes affects kidney disease patients globally at roughly the same rate.
The study noted that hypertension (high blood pressure) is also very common among kidney disease patients in Syria, though the exact prevalence wasn’t the main focus. The researchers emphasized that both diabetes and high blood pressure are major causes of kidney disease in the Arab world and that these conditions are becoming more common. The study also highlighted that the Syrian crisis may be making these health problems worse by limiting access to healthcare and medications.
This research fills an important gap because no previous studies had examined diabetes in Syrian kidney disease patients specifically. The finding that 35.4% of Syrian CKD patients have diabetes matches rates seen in other countries, suggesting that diabetes affects kidney disease patients worldwide at similar rates. However, the unexpected finding that diabetic patients had lower creatinine levels differs from what many doctors would expect based on previous research, which typically shows that diabetes damages kidneys over time.
This study has several important limitations. First, it only looked at patients at one hospital in Damascus, so the results may not represent all Syrians or people in other countries. Second, it’s a snapshot study that doesn’t follow patients over time, so researchers can’t prove that diabetes causes kidney damage or changes in blood markers. Third, the study didn’t explain why diabetic patients had lower creatinine levels, which is surprising and needs further investigation. Fourth, the researchers didn’t discuss whether they accounted for other important factors like how long patients had diabetes, what medications they were taking, or how severe their kidney disease was. Finally, the study doesn’t explain the lack of connection between blood sugar levels and kidney function markers, which contradicts what doctors usually expect.
The Bottom Line
If you have chronic kidney disease, ask your doctor to check whether you have diabetes or prediabetes, since about 35% of kidney disease patients also have diabetes. Work with your healthcare team to control blood sugar, blood pressure, and other risk factors that can worsen kidney disease. These recommendations have moderate confidence because this study provides real-world data but is limited to one hospital in one city.
This research matters most for people with chronic kidney disease, especially those living in the Middle East or similar regions. It’s also relevant for doctors and nurses who treat kidney disease patients. People with diabetes should care because this research shows how common the combination of diabetes and kidney disease is. However, if you live outside Syria or the Arab world, the specific numbers may not apply to your situation, though the general message about monitoring both conditions remains important.
Changes in kidney function happen slowly over months and years, not days or weeks. If you make lifestyle changes to control blood sugar and blood pressure, you may see improvements in blood test results within 3 to 6 months. However, preventing kidney disease from getting worse is a long-term commitment that requires ongoing medical care and lifestyle management.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is diabetes in people with kidney disease?
About 35% of kidney disease patients have diabetes, based on a 2026 study of 297 Syrian patients. This rate matches what researchers see in other parts of the world, suggesting diabetes affects roughly one in three kidney disease patients globally.
Does diabetes make kidney disease worse?
Diabetes is a major cause of kidney disease, but this single study found unexpected results: diabetic kidney patients had lower creatinine levels than non-diabetic patients. More research is needed to fully understand how diabetes affects kidney function over time.
What blood tests should I get if I have both diabetes and kidney disease?
Your doctor should regularly check creatinine and urea levels to monitor kidney function, plus fasting blood glucose to track diabetes control. The MDRD score, calculated from creatinine, estimates how well your kidneys work. These tests help your doctor catch problems early.
Can I prevent kidney disease if I have diabetes?
Yes. Controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, and taking prescribed medications can slow kidney disease progression. A 2026 study of 297 kidney disease patients emphasizes that managing diabetes and hypertension is critical for preventing kidney damage from worsening.
Want to Apply This Research?
- If you have both diabetes and kidney disease, track your fasting blood glucose levels weekly and record any blood test results (creatinine, urea, MDRD score) when your doctor provides them. Note these alongside your blood pressure readings to see patterns over time.
- Set a daily reminder to take diabetes and blood pressure medications as prescribed. Log your blood sugar readings before meals and at bedtime. Record what you eat to identify patterns that affect your blood sugar, and share this data with your healthcare team during appointments.
- Create a monthly summary of your blood sugar averages and blood pressure readings. Compare these to previous months to track trends. Schedule regular lab work with your doctor (typically every 3 to 6 months) and record the results in the app. Alert your doctor if you notice sudden changes in any measurements.
This research describes patterns observed in one Syrian hospital and may not apply to all populations. If you have chronic kidney disease, diabetes, or both conditions, work closely with your doctor for personalized diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. Do not make changes to your medications or treatment plan based on this research alone. Blood test results must be interpreted by your healthcare provider in the context of your complete medical history. This article is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.