AIMS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) requires the maintenance of high physical activity levels and specific interventions tailored to the characteristics of each patient. We hypothesized that T2DM combined with diabetic kidney disease (DKD) could increase muscle fatigability, becoming a specific contributor to physical inactivity. This study aimed to determine the association between muscle fatigability and DKD complications and investigate the relationship between muscle fatigability and physical activity in patients with T2DM. METHODS: Overall, 50 patients with T2DM aged 40-65 years and with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 30 mL/min/1.73 m RESULTS: ΔMVCC velocity was significantly higher in the DKD group than in the non-DKD group (p <
0.05). Similarly, ΔMVIC torque was significantly higher in the DKD group than in the non-DKD group (p <
0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that ΔMVCC velocity was independently associated with physical activity in the DKD group (odds ratio: 0.93, 95 % confidence interval: 0.88-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Muscle fatigability increased with DKD in patients with T2DM and might be related to physical activity.