Association between kidney biopsy findings in CKD patients with diabetes and renal replacement therapy initiation, a perspective from a low-middle income country

Kidney disease in diabetes mellitus is usually explained by diabetic kidney disease, but other superimposed etiologies occur frequently. The distinction between diabetic kidney disease and non-diabetic kidney disease can only be made by performing kidney biopsy. Our objective was to evaluate the association of diabetic kidney disease, non-diabetic kidney disease, or both with renal replacement therapy initiation. This is a retrospective cohort that included patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus for whom a kidney biopsy was indicated. Subjects were followed-up for 5 years, until renal replacement therapy initiation or were lost to follow up. One hundred and forty-one patients were included, 53 (39%) had diabetic kidney disease, 13 (9%) had non-diabetic kidney disease and 75 (54%) had both. Ninety-four percent of the cohort initiated renal replacement therapy during the 5-year follow-up. Higher degree of fibrosis was associated with a trend towards higher risk of requiring renal replacement therapy. In addition, the combined diabetic kidney disease + non-diabetic kidney disease group was associated with higher need of renal replacement therapy initiation when compared to the diabetic kidney disease group.