Importantly, when all the other previously defined CV risk factors (known diabetes duration, total cholesterol, BMI, systolic blood pressure, HbA1c, presence of retinopathy, urinary albumin excretion rate, vibration threshold, heart rate variation, CIMT, LVEF, CCS or the presence of asymptomatic CAD) were included in the latter analysis instead of total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure in various combinations as previously defined, the association remained significant (all p < 0.05). The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is diabetes mellitus.