ALB and diabetes mellitus: Because VEGF-A production is stimulated by hyperglycemia, it is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN), the major long-term complication of diabetes mellitus, which is manifested by decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR), increased protein excretion due to increased glomerular permeability to albumin, at least in the early stages of diabetes [16].