It was observed that serum levels of NFL decreased with age and higher serum NFL was associated with DN (RR 1.92 per 1-normalised protein expression increase) after adjustment for age, sex, height, waist circumference, diabetes type and duration, glycated hemoglobin, cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, the presence of hypertension or cardiovascular disease, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or lipid-lowering drugs [38]. Here, NEFL is linked to cardiovascular disorder.