This study is based on the “renal tubular hypothesis” and explores the impact of SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin on renal tubular injury markers in low-risk early-stage type 2 diabetes patients (UACR < 30 mg/g, eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2), aiming to evaluate its early renal protective effect. Here, SLC5A2 is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.