ALB and peripheral arterial disease: For each 1 mmol/L increase in bicarbonate, the hazard ratio for CHD was 0.95 (95 % confidence interval 0.92–0.99) after adjustment for age as time scale, age at baseline, sex, English fluency, diabetes duration, loge(serum triglycerides), loge(urinary albumin: creatinine ratio), peripheral sensory neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease.