Among the 92 candidate proteins in the plasma proteomics analysis of the biomarker cohort, 9 proteins (E-selectin, interleukin-1 receptor type 1, interleukin-1 receptor type 2, galectin-4, intercellular adhesion molecule 2, integrin beta-2, galectin-3, growth differentiation factor 15 [GDF-15], and cathepsin D) were significantly upregulated in diabetic AS patients compared to non-diabetic AS patients (Fig. 2, Additional file 1: Table S11) (false discovery rate < 5% and minimal fold change of 1.15 [Log2(fold change) > 0.20])[23]. Here, CTSD is linked to aortic stenosis.