In addition, resistin level seems to have a stronger correlation with hypertension in diabetic patients, since the subgroup analysis of the diabetic population showed higher standard mean differences in the hypertensive and normotensive population in the diabetic population (SMD = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.32–2.07, P = 0.008) than the non-diabetic population (SMD = 0.74, 95% CI: −0.14–1.62, P = 0.10) (Supplementary Figure 1). Here, RETN is linked to hypertensive disorder.