The biological basis of these findings remains unknown, despite adjusting analyses for age, BMI, race, presence of brain metastasis and visceral disease, albumin, ECOG PS, ER/PR status, any prior taxanes, anthracycline or trastuzumab use, and the presence of hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, arrhythmia, other CVDs or diabetes mellitus. Here, ALB is linked to diabetes mellitus.