Table 1 Baseline characteristics* in subjects with and without metabolic syndrome, by sex

Age

60.4 (7.3)

56.0 (10.4)

<0.0001

55.5 (8.3)

56.2 (9.2)

0.3

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

153.1 (20.9)

135.6 (20.7)

<0.0001

146.0 (16.2)

139.0 (18.1)

<0.0001

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

86.3 (12.9)

77.9 (11.6)

<0.0001

87.3 (10.6)

82.6 (11.4)

<0.0001

Hypertension treatment (%)

59 (21.6)

80 (6.5)

<0.0001

44 (15.9)

73 (6.4)

<0.0001

Components of metabolic syndrome

Waist circumference (cm)

93.8 (9.1)

81.35 (8.4)

<0.0001

102.5 (8.4)

92.7 (7.1)

<0.0001

Triglycerides (mmol/L)†

2.29 (0.87)

1.18 (0.54)

<0.0001

2.63 (1.04)

1.50 (0.74)

<0.0001

HDL (mmol/L)

1.37 (0.32)

1.75 (0.38)

<0.0001

1.10 (0.26)

1.43 (0.34)

<0.0001

Diabetes (%)

18 (6.6)

8 (0.7)

<0.0001

11 (4.0)

6 (0.5)

<0.0001

HbA1c %

5.68 (0.64)

5.35 (0.34)

<0.0001

5.47 (0.62)

5.32 (0.39)

<0.0001

Impaired glucose tolerance (yes/no)

53 (20.0)

22 (1.8)

<0.0001

34 (12.45)

14 (1.22)

<0.0001

Uric acid (μmol/L)†

308.75 (87)

255 (73.5)

<0.0001

400.5 (106)

339 (87.5)

<0.0001

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

7.22 (1.19)

6.57 (1.3)

<0.0001

6.75 (1.17)

6.46 (1.1)

0.0003

LDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.84 (1.09)

4.29 (1.18)

<0.0001

4.50 (1.05)

4.36 (0.99)

0.04

Daily smoking (yes/no)

59 (21.6)

364 (28.6)

0.03

73 (26.3)

333 (29.0)

0.4

Measurements of atherosclerosis

Baseline mean IMT(mm)

0.85 (0.16)

0.77 (0.15)

<0.0001

0.87 (0.17)

0.83 (0.17)

0.0008

Plaque presence (%)

132 (48.4)

383 (31.0)

<0.0001

137 (49.3)

484 (421)

0.03

Baseline TPA (mm²)†

7.84 (13.75)

4.55 (9.66)

<0.0001

9.48 (13.55)

7.75 (13.58)

0.05

Use of medication

Antihypertensive (yes/no)

59 (21.6)

80 (6.5)

<0.0001

44 (15.9)

73 (6.4)

<0.0001

Lipid-lowering (yes/no)

20 (7.3)

3 (0.2)

<0.0001

28 (10.7)

6 (0.59)

<0.0001

Antidiabetic (yes/no)

10 (3.7)

4 (0.39)

<0.0001

6 (2.2)

4 (0.4)

0.001