The results showed that both levels were significantly higher in T2DM patients than in non-T2DM patients (EV-GDF15 levels, 13.68 (6.61–23.44) pg/mL vs. 5.56 (3.44–12.09) pg/mL, P < 0.001; and serum GDF15 levels, 1025.49 (677.87–1626.36) pg/mL vs. 675.46 (469.53–919.98) pg/mL, P < 0.001) (Additional file 1: Fig. S4). This evidence concerns the gene GDF15 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.