PCSK9 and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Among T2DM patients, PCSK9 circulating levels were inversely related and predicted both the number of CD45neg/CD34bright (β = − 0.438; p = 0.003, adjusted R2 = 0.173), and CD45neg/CD34bright/CD146neg (β = − 0.458; p = 0.002, adjusted R2 = 0.191) independently of age, gender, BMI and statin treatment.