A multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that the natural logarithm of the protein carbonyl level was associated with OH/ECW (Beta = 0.382, p = 0.001), albumin (Beta = − 0.291, p = 0.014), prealbumin (Beta = − 0.326, p = 0.008), transferrin (Beta = − 0.292, p = 0.011), overhydration (Beta = 0.393, p = 0.001), low HGS (Beta = 0.343, p = 0.006), low LTI (Beta = 0.227, p = 0.046) and sarcopenia (Beta = 0.237, p = 0.038) after adjusting for age, gender, diabetes, CAD, CVD, BMI and dialysis vintage. The gene discussed is TTR; the disease is diabetes mellitus.