The plasma BDNF levels were strongly associated with age (r = − 0.274, p = 0.001), male sex (r = − 0.208, p = 0.013), presence of diabetes mellitus (r = − 0.421, p < 0.001), hypertension (r = − 0.220, p = 0.008), LDL cholesterol (r = 0.187, p = 0.025), HDL cholesterol (r = − 0.165, p = 0.049), platelet count (r = − 0.226, p = 0.007) and vWF (r = − 0.525, p < 0.001, Fig. 1) (Table 3). The gene discussed is VWF; the disease is diabetes mellitus.