Because diabetes per se is an inflammatory process with increased cytokine levels and enhanced thrombin activity in the vascular wall [1,23], in the present study we tested the hypothesis that there may be an association between both OPN and N-half OPN levels and the presence and severity of nephropathy and CAD in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The gene discussed is SPP1; the disease is type 2 diabetes mellitus.