Increasing nephrin levels (AUC = 0.774, p = 0.001) and podocalyxin (AUC = 0.744, p = 0.001), and decreasing haemoglobin levels (AUC = 0.653, p = 0.016) were significantly associated with diabetic nephropathy among PLWD. Here, NPHS1 is linked to diabetic kidney disease.