In order to clarify this issue, we evaluated the effect of atherogenic dyslipidemia, the HDL subclasses distribution and the common cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP)TaqIB variant on the incidence or the progression of DKD and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a group of T2DM women followed up for ~9 years. The gene discussed is CETP; the disease is diabetic retinopathy.