The patients in the derivation cohort and the validation cohort were similar in terms of age, sex, duration of diabetes, duration of hypertension, Hb levels, HbA1c levels, Log ACR, Tcr, Scr, TG levels, HDL-cholesterol levels, LDL-cholesterol levels, serum lipid levels, eGFR, BNP levels and CKmb at baseline. Here, NPPB is linked to diabetes mellitus.