Because of the lack of an effective early diagnosis, patients with DKD often lose the chance to benefit from treatment, resulting in poor outcomes.[22] At present, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio and eGFR are well-established diagnostic biomarkers of DKD.[23] However, diagnosing DKD also faces challenges associated with both albumin-to-creatinine ratio and eGFR loss are nonspecific markers of DKD, and a number of patients with DKD who do not follow the classic pattern of DKD.[8,9] Therefore, researchers are increasingly searching for novel diagnostic biomarkers of DKD. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is diabetic kidney disease.