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Sleep problems can worsen kidney disease in people with diabetes, according to a new study.

New research reveals that people with sleep apnea accelerates kidney function decline in diabetic patients with kidney disease. Researchers said this is important because people with type 2 diabetes are significantly more likely to develop chronic kidney disease. Furthermore, obstructive sleep apnea is common in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The latest study involved 56 patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who had undergone screening for obstructive sleep apnea.

Lead researcher Dr. Roberto Pisoni and his team from Medical University of South Carolina found that 61 percent of patients who scored high for obstructive sleep apnea were more likely than those with lower scores to have significantly lower level of kidney function.

"This study shows that a high-risk score for obstructive sleep apnea is common in non-dialysis CKD patients with diabetic nephropathy and is associated with more rapid loss of renal function," researcher wrote in the study. "This simple approach identifies patients at higher risk of CKD progression."

The latest study will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2014 November 11¬-16 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.