Results: Four proteins were positively associated with DKD in models adjusted for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors, glucose control, and diabetes medication: kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1, odds ratio [OR] per standard deviation increment, 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27–2.14); growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15, OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.16–1.69); myoglobin (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.30–1.91), and matrix metalloproteinase 10 (MMP-10, OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.17–1.74). This evidence concerns the gene GDF15 and diabetic kidney disease.