This corresponds with our previous findings, that the high MBL expression genotype was more frequent in T1D patients with diabetic nephropathy than in those with normal urinary albumin excretion (10) and that the presence of high MBL genotypes was associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk of developing nephropathy compared to patients with a ‘low expression’ MBL genotype (9) in patients with T1D. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is type 1 diabetes mellitus.