Predictive Ability of Interstitial Fibrosis and Tubular Atrophy Scoring in Determining the Severity of Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) is a major complication of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Renal biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis and management of many renal diseases. Renal Interstitial Fibrosis and Tubular Atrophy (IFTA), as well as the number of obsolescent glomeruli, are prognostic factors associated with Diabetic Nephropathy (DN). Aim: To describe the renal biopsy profile of patients with DM presenting with renal disease and to determine the significance of IFTA scoring and the number of obsolescent glomeruli in predicting DKD and its severity. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of three years, from 2019 to 2022, involving a total of 189 patients selected through purposive sampling. Patients with DM who presented with renal disease and required renal biopsy to confirm the diagnosis were admitted to the Department of General Medicine and Nephrology at Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The biopsy reports were obtained and analysed. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 and results were expressed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A p-value of