State-of-the-Art Research and New Pharmacological Perspectives on Renal Involvement in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Narrative Review

Background: Although Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is primarily characterized as a skeletal muscle-wasting disorder, the resulting pathophysiological changes extend to multiple non-muscle tissues and organ systems. Among these, renal and urinary tract dysfunctions have been reported, albeit in relatively few studies, as potential complications in DMD patients, sometimes occurring from an early age. Importantly, as life expectancy improves, the incidence of renal impairment is also expected to increase. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on kidney involvement in DMD and discusses the associated biomarkers of renal dysfunction within the context of multisystem disease progression. Methods: The review draws on data from both human and animal studies and analyzes published evidence to explore kidney involvement in DMD, with a focus on clinical manifestations, biomarkers of renal dysfunction, and potential pathogenic mechanisms. Results: Available data indicate a close association between cardiac and renal dysfunction, particularly in patients with advanced-stage DMD. The review explores potential underlying mechanisms of renal impairment, including intrinsic dystrophin deficiency in the kidney, secondary effects of cardiovascular complications, and the nephrotoxic impact of drug therapies, highlighting renal function as an active determinant of clinical risk. Conclusions: While cardiac function monitoring is already a cornerstone of multidisciplinary care for this multisystem disease, systematic assessment of renal function should also be implemented, with implications for clinical management and drug safety. Moreover, the risk of drug-induced nephrotoxicity warrants attention in both clinical management and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for DMD.