A study published in the British Medical Journal revealed that patients with type 2 diabetes develop kidney disease in 18.2% of cases due to other reasons. The study was conducted by a group of doctors from the state-run Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research (IPGMER). The study is titled, "Prevalence of non-diabetic kidney disease and the inability of clinical predictors to differentiate it from diabetic kidney disease: results from a prospectively performed renal biopsy."

Dr. Sujoy Ghosh, professor of endocrinology at IPGMER, stated that the true prevalence of diabetic kidney disease and non-diabetic kidney disease is unknown. He added that most of the published medical literature derives its data from a retrospective analysis of biopsy studies.

In the study, 6247 patients from two departments, i.e., endocrinology and nephrology, were screened for type 2 diabetes. Only 869 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, out of whom only 818 were feasible for renal biopsy. Only 110 patients, however, agreed to a renal biopsy.

The findings of the study showed that 73 patients (66.4%) had diabetic kidney disease. The study showed that only 20 patients (18.2%) had non-diabetic kidney disease, whereas 17 patients (15.4%) were found to have mixed kidney disease.

Hence, the researchers concluded that non-diabetic kidney disease and mixed kidney disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus with renal involvement are very common. They added that clinical decision-making in these cases is impaired by the traditionally used parameters. Additionally, the study highlighted the limitations of currently used indicators for differentiating between non-diabetic kidney disease and diabetic kidney disease. 

(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/study-finds-high-prevalence-of-non-diabetic-kidney-disease-in-patients-with-type-2-diabtetes-mellitus/articleshowprint/96686351.cms?val=3728 )