In multiple regression analyses, galectin-3 concentrations were significantly associated with eGFRcrea-cyst after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, smoking, hemoglobin, duration of diabetes, A1C, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and use of oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) and insulin (β = − 0.311, 95% confidence interval [CI] − 74.501 to − 44.854, P < 0.001). Here, LGALS3 is linked to cyst.