Evaluation of Diabetic Nephropathy in Syrian Refugee Patients Admitted to the Internal Medicine Department

INTRODUCTION: There are a total of 5,577,858 Syrian refugees worldwide as of 2020. Turkey has the highest number of Syrian refugees. Since the beginning of migration from Syria,measures have been taken to ensure that individuals with chronic diseases receive specific treatment. Diabetic nephropathy, also known as diabetic kidney disease,which is the most common cause of chronic kidney disease. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate diabetic nephropathy in Syrian immigrant patients hospitalized in our center and to compare it with Turkish patients.
METHODS: We included the Syrian patients who were hospitalized for any indication in Haseki Training and Research Hospital Internal Medicine Ward. We recorded the patient’s initial laboratory findings as urea, creatinine, spot urine protein creatinine ratio, HbA1C.
RESULTS: The study found that the number of Syrian individuals in the age group under 65 was higher than that of Turkish individuals. Among patients over 65, Turkish patients had a statistically significantly higher proportion with eGFR > 60 mL/min/1.73 m² compared to Syrian patients. In the group aged 65 and over, the proportion of Syrian patients with eGFR < 60 was found to be higher. HbA1c was found to be significantly higher in the Syrian group.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study identified significant health disparities between Syrian refugees and Turkish patients, which may be attributed to the profound effects of war, forced migration, and the challenges of being a refugee. These findings highlight the long-term health consequences of displacement, limited access to healthcare, and the socioeconomic hardships faced by refugees, which may contribute to their increased burden of chronic disease. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted healthcare interventions to address renal and metabolic health in Syrian refugees, particularly the elderly, and emphasize the importance of early screening and ongoing management to prevent chronic disease progression in this vulnerable population.