A sensitivity analysis with exclusion of subjects with alcoholic intake ≥ 10 g/day, a positive cardiovascular history, impaired eGFR (< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2), elevated UAE (> 30 mg/24 hr), use of antihypertensive drugs, glucose and lipid lowering drugs, leaving 3,501 subjects for analysis, also demonstrated a positive association of plasma ApoE levels with an elevated FLI when taking account of T2D, MetS, smoking and ApoE genotype (Table 4, all models P<0.001). Here, APOE is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.