Finally, validation by RT-qPCR in a retrospective cohort confirmed a similar trend: there was no significant difference in CETP in the DM–TB group compared with the DM group, but there was still an upward trend, and TYROBP (p = 0.0357) and SECTM1 (p = 0.0171) were significantly higher than those in the DM group (Figure 9E–G). Here, CETP is linked to tuberculosis.