As our observations are cross-sectional, causality cannot be inferred, yet if metformin had an effect on plasma fibulin-1 and this effect tapered off as the metformin was metabolized, even the short pause in relation to the surgical procedure may have raised fibulin-1 levels in the diabetes group in the study by Cangemi et al [11] to untreated values, whereas it remained lowered in our study. The gene discussed is FBLN1; the disease is diabetes mellitus.