Furthermore, a study investigating the predictive value of Hepcidin-25, the active isoform of the hormone hepcidin, for mortality and disease progression in DKD, found an independent association between hepcidin-25 levels, endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) levels, and kidney function impairment, after adjusting for inflammatory markers [62]. This evidence concerns the gene EPO and diabetic kidney disease.