INS and metabolic syndrome: Although the elevated monocyte level was significantly associated with an increased prevalence of DKD after adjusting for age, sex and duration of diabetes (P for tend < 0.001), no association was found between the monocyte level and DKD after adjusting for age, sex, education status, duration of diabetes, current smoking, BMI, HbA1c, dyslipidemia, systolic blood pressure and insulin therapy.