Kidney Fat in Type 2 Diabetes and the Effects of Ezetimibe

Inclusion criteria for the intervention trial * Age ≥ 40 and ≤ 75 years * T2D (World Health Organization criteria) * eGFR ≥ 30ml/min/1,73m2 at screening * Persistent UACR ≥ 30mg/g (in more than two out of three valid measurements over a minimum of three months) * LDL \> 1.5mmol/L at screening * Ability to communicate with the investigator and give informed consent Exclusion criteria for the intervention trial * Chronic kidney disease primarily ascribed to other causes than diabetes * Acute kidney disease within 3 months * No UACR ≥ 3000mg/g in history * Current or recent (within 3 months) treatment with ezetimibe * Initiation or adjustment in dosage within 1 month of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1RA) agonists, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors or anti-dyslipidemia drug, e.g. a statin * Any contraindication to MR-examination (e.g. magnetic foreign body that cannot easily be removed from the body prior to the examination, claustrophobia or body size not compatible with the scanner) * Intolerance to trial drug components * Any previous major organ transplantation * Elective major surgery during the trial * Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or breastfeeding during the trial * Insufficient contraception during the trial in women of childbearing potential * Severe alcohol consumption or abuse of recreational drugs * Moderate to severe liver failure (Child Pugh 7-15) * Any surgical or medical condition which can be expected to significantly alter the absorption of the trial drug (e.g. major gastrointestinal tract surgery or inflammatory bowel disease) * Recent (within 30 days or 5-half-lives, whichever is longer) or current participation in another clinical study in which an investigational medicinal product or device has been received * Any medical condition or history thereof or any deviation from normal laboratory values that, in the opinion of the investigator, clinically contraindicates or hinders the completion of the trial * Any reason for suspecting a considerable lack of compliance to the trial Inclusion criteria for the control group (cross-sectional study alone): * Age ≥ 40 and ≤ 75 years * eGFR ≥60ml/min/1,73m2 at screening * Ability to communicate with the investigator and give informed consent Exclusion criteria for the control group (cross-sectional study alone): * Any major chronic disease, e.g. diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (this criterium does not include conditions that may be considered risk factors for chronic diseases, e.g. essential hypertension, primary hypercholesterolemia) * Acute kidney disease within 3 months * History of persistent UACR ≥ 30mg/g (in more than two out of three valid measurements over a minimum of three months including those at screening) or a previous diagnosis of micro- or macroalbuminuria * Current or recent (within 3 months) treatment with ezetimibe * Any contraindication to an MR-examination (e.g. magnetic foreign body that cannot easily be removed from the body prior to the examination or claustrophobia) * Any previous major organ transplantation * Elective major surgery during the study * Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or breastfeeding during the study * Severe alcohol consumption or abuse of recreational drugs * Moderate to severe liver failure (Child Pugh 7-15) * Recent (within 30 days or 5-half-lives, whichever is longer) or current participation in another clinical study in which an investigational medicinal product or device has been received * Any medical condition or history thereof or any deviation from normal laboratory values that, in the opinion of the investigator, clinically contraindicates or hinders the completion of the study * Any reason for suspecting a considerable lack of compliance to the study Inclusion criteria for the group of participants with T2D and no DKD (cross-sectional study alone): * Age ≥ 40 and ≤ 75 years * T2D (World Health Organization criteria) * eGFR ≥60ml/min/1,73m2 at screening * Ability to communicate with the Investigator and give informed consent Exclusion criteria for the group of participants with T2D and no DKD (cross-sectional study alone): * Any chronic kidney disease * Acute kidney disease within 3 months * History of persistent UACR ≥ 30mg/g (in more than two out of three valid measurements over a minimum of three months including those at screening) or a previous diagnosis of micro- or macroalbuminuria * Current or recent (within 3 months) treatment with ezetimibe * Any contraindication to an MR-examination (e.g. magnetic foreign body that cannot easily be removed from the body prior to the examination or claustrophobia) * Any previous major organ transplantation * Elective major surgery during the study * Pregnancy, planned pregnancy or breastfeeding during the study * Severe alcohol consumption or abuse of recreational drugs * Moderate to severe liver failure (Child Pugh 7-15) * Recent (within 30 days or 5-half-lives, whichever is longer) or current participation in another clinical study in which an investigational medicinal product or device has been received * Any medical condition or history thereof or any deviation from normal laboratory values that, in the opinion of the investigator, clinically contraindicates or hinders the completion of the study procedures * Any reason for suspecting a considerable lack of compliance to the study