TNF and diabetes mellitus: As shown, the three signaling axes (TNF-α/IL1β/IL8, TLR4/MYD88/NF-κB, and TGF-β1/ROS) were the independent risk factors for poorly formed CCC in geriatric patients with CCTO after adjustments for age, sex, silent myocardial infarction, refractory angina pectoris, tachycardia, refractory hypertension, chronic pain, hemoglobin A1c levels, heart failure, and diabetes (Table 3).