Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the whole cohort and stratified by vascular risk

SMART risk score (% 10 year risk for recurrent vascular events)

5–16

16–24

24–37

37–98

Age (years)

62.6 ± 8.8

55.8 ± 7.1

60.0 ± 7.7

64.5 ± 7.0

70.0 ± 6.5

Male sex (n, %)

817 (76)

194 (72)

214 (80)

206(77)

203 (76)

Duration of diabetes (years)

4.0 (1.0–10.0)

4.0 (1.0–9.0)

4.0 (1.0–9.0)

4.0 (1.0–12.0)

6.0 (1.0–12.0)

HbA1c (%)

6.9 (± 1.1)

6.7 (± 1.0)

7.0 (± 1.3)

6.9 (± 1.1)

7.0 (± 1.1)

HbA1c converted (mmol/mol)

52

50

53

52

53

Fasting blood glucose (mmol/L)

7.9 (6.7–9.5)

7.6 (6.5–8.9)

8.2 (7.0–10.0)

7.7 (6.8–9.3)

7.9 (6.7–9.7)

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.6 ± 1.2

4.2 ± 1.0

4.5 ± 1.1

4.6 ± 1.2

5.0 ± 1.3

HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.1 ± 0.3

1.2 ± 0.3

1.1 ± 0.3

1.1 ± 0.3

1.1 ± 0.3

LDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

2.6 ± 1.0

2.2 ± 0.8

2.5 ± 1.0

2.7 ± 1.0

2.9 ± 1.2

Triglycerides (mmol/L)

1.9 ± 1.2

1.7 ± 1.1

1.9 ± 1.1

2.0 ± 1.2

2.1 ± 1.2

non-HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

3.31 (2.67–4.17)

2.90 (2.34–3.54)

3.27 (2.66–4.06)

3.48 (2.87–4.31)

3.67 (2.93–4.81)

eGFR (MDRD)

76 ± 21

85 ± 14

83 ± 18

74 ± 21

61 ± 20

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

145 ± 21

137 ± 18

144 ± 19

147 ± 22

152 ± 21

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

81 ± 11

81 ± 10

82 ± 11

82 ± 12

79 ± 11

Weight (kg)

85.6 ± 14.9

85.8 ± 15.5

87.2 ± 15.6

86.6 ± 14.3

83.0 ± 13.8

BMI (kg/m²)

28.4 ± 4.1

28.3 ± 4.1

28.8 ± 4.6

28.6 ± 4.0

27.7 ± 3.7

Current smoking (n,  %)

268 (25)

42 (17)

65 (24)

86 (32)

75 (28)

Microalbuminuria (n, %)

250 (23)

39 (15)

53 (20)

71 (26)

87 (33)

hs-CRP (mg/L)

2.1 (1.0–4.4)

1.1 (0.6–2.3)

2.1 (1.0–4.3)

2.4 (1.4–4.8)

3.4 (1.8–5.7)

Lipid-lowering treatment (n, %)

 Statins

784 (73)

209 (78)

164 (61)

155 (58)

144 (54)

Glucose-lowering treatment (n, %)

 Only lifestyle/diet treatment

233 (22)

49 (18)

71 (27)

57 (21)

56 (21)

 Oral treatment

690 (64)

180 (67)

167 (62)

171 (64)

172 (64)

 Insulin use

266 (25)

66 (25)

58 (22)

31 (11)

30 (11)

 Combination of oral treatment and insulin

116 (11)

27 (10)

28 (10)

24 (9)

27 (10)

Blood pressure medication (n, %)

 β-blockers

616 (57)

184 (69)

149 (56)

145 (54)

138 (52)

 Diuretics

371 (35)

65 (24)

82 (31)

104 (39)

120 (45)

 ACE inhibitors

444 (41)

112 (46)

103 (38)

108 (40)

111 (41)

 Calcium antagonists

277 (26)

58 (22)

73 (27)

67 (25)

79 (30)

 Angiotensin II receptor blockers

175 (16)

35 (13)

34 (13)

57 (21)

49 (18)

Antithrombotic therapy (n, %)

 Thrombocyte aggregation inhibitor

833 (78)

223 (83)

208 (78)

202 (75)

200 (75)

 Oral anticoagulants

153 (14)

26 (10)

28 (10)

36 (13)

63 (24)

Years since first vascular event

1 (0–9)

0 (0–1)

0 (0–6)

1 (0–10)

9 (1–18)

Location of vascular disease (n, %)

 Cerebrovascular disease

312 (29)

40(15)

59 (22)

75 (28)

138 (49)

 Coronary artery disease

734 (68)

215 (80)

188 (70)

167 (62)

164 (61)

 Peripheral artery disease

219 (20)

18 (7)

47 (18)

62 (23)

92 (34)

 Abdominal aortic aneurysm

73 (7)

1 (0.4)

4 (1.5)

20 (7.4)

48 (18)