MMP9 and diabetes mellitus: Within GRT, diabetes (HR: 2.07; CI: 1.55–2.78, p < 0.001), smoking (HR: 1.67; CI: 1.35–1.95, p < 0.001), high CAVI (HR: 1.22; CI: 1.09–1.43, p = 0.023) and MMP-9 (HR: 1.44; CI: 1.29–2.15, p = 0.005), and low GSM (HR: 1.40; CI: 1.16–2.12, p = 0.002) independently predicted MACE occurrences, despite the optimum medical therapy.