Abstract: Objective To investigate the correlation between plasma galectin-3 (Gal-3) level and type 2 diabees mellitus (T2DM) complicated with coronary artery disease (CAD). 
Methods Sixty patients with T2DM (T2DM group) and 60 patients with T2DM and CAD (T2DM+CAD group) were enrolled in this study. Patients' data including course of disease and age were collected. Left ventricular ejection fraction was assessed by echocardiography. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure plasma Gal-3 levels in the two groups. The correlation of Gal-3 levels with cardiac ejection fraction, glycosylated hemoglobin and C-reactive protein (CRP) was analyzed. 
Results There was no significant difference in age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, and biochemical indicators such as blood lipids between the T2DM and T2DM+CAD groups. Compared with that in T2DM patients, plasma Gal-3 level was significantly increased in patients with T2DM+CAD (P＜0.01). Plasma Gal-3 level was negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level (P＜0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that glycosylated hemoglobin and CRP were influencing factors for plasma Gal-3 levels. Logistic regression analysis showed that plasma Gal-3 level and age were the risk factors influencing the occurrence of CAD in T2DM patients. 
Conclusion Plasma Gal-3 level is significantly increased in T2DM+CAD patients, which may be an influencing factor for the occurrence of CAD in T2DM patients.

Key words: type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, galectin- 3