Galectin-3 prospectively related to systolic (β − 0.656, 95% CI − 1.07/− 0.24; P = 0.0021) and diastolic dysfunction (β 0.0179, 95% CI 0.0001/0.036; P = 0.049), cardiovascular (hazard ratio per standard deviation of galectin-3 (HRperSD) 1.60, 95% CI 1.39–1.85; P < 0.0001) and all-cause mortality (HRperSD 1.36, 95% CI 1.25–1.47; P < 0.0001) in T2DM. This evidence concerns the gene LGALS3 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.