The presence of microvascular complications was associated with eight metabolites (2,4-dihydroxybutanoic acid, ribonic acid, myoinositol, ribitol, 3,4-dihydroxybutanoic acid, valine, glycine, 2-hydroxyisovaleric acid) after adjustment for the following confounding factors: age, sex, duration of diabetes, body mass index, current smoking, systolic blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, total cholesterol, urinary albumin excretion rate, and statin treatment [33]. The gene discussed is ALB; the disease is diabetes mellitus.