We previously reported that neither diabetes nor the metabolic syndrome was associated with altered myocardial total or interstitial fibrosis, cardiomyocyte width, capillary length density, diffusion radius, arteriolar dimensions or immunostaining for collagens I and III, CML, or RAGE in this patient population, although diabetic and metabolic syndrome patients had reduced perivascular fibrosis [22]. This evidence concerns the gene AGER and metabolic syndrome.