Table 1 Clinical characteristics of study participants at baseline stratified by serum AFABP quartiles

Women AFABP level (ng/mL)

29.59 (20.62–52.60)

 < 20.62

20.62–29.58

29.59–52.60

 > 52.60

Men AFABP level (ng/mL)

19.22 (12.49–29.24)

 < 12.49

12.49–19.21

19.22–29.24

 > 29.24

Clinical characteristics

 Age (years)

60 ± 10

57 ± 8

59 ± 10

59 ± 9

65 ± 9^†#&

 < 0.01

 Men, n (%)

94 (53.4)

23 (53.5)

24 (53.3)

23 (52.3)

24 (54.5)

-

 Diabetes duration (years)

17 ± 7

18 ± 7

16 ± 8

18 ± 8

15 ± 7

0.19

 BMI (kg/m²)

26 ± 5

23 ± 4

26 ± 4^¶

27 ± 5^§*

28 ± 4^†#&

 < 0.01

 SBP (mmHg)

137 ± 18

130 ± 19

140 ± 20

136 ± 16

140 ± 18

 < 0.05

 DBP (mmHg)

80 ± 9

77 ± 8

81 ± 9

82 ± 9^§

78 ± 9

 < 0.05

 Smoker, n (%)

47 (26.7)

9 (20.9)

9 (20.0)

16 (36.4)

13 (29.5)

0.26

Medical history

 Hypertension, n (%)

133 (75.6)

25 (58.1)

34 (75.6)

35 (79.5)

39 (88.6)

 < 0.01

 Dyslipidemia, n (%)

121 (68.8)

26 (60.5)

30 (66.7)

31 (70.5)

34 (77.3)

0.39

 CKD, n (%)

25 (14.2)

2 (4.7)

3 (6.7)

4 (9.1)

16 (36.4)

 < 0.01

Blood chemistry

 HbA1c (%)

7.68 ± 1.26

7.70 ± 1.23

7.75 ± 1.45

7.53 ± 0.99

7.73 ± 1.36

0.83

 Fasting glucose (mmol/L)

8.16 ± 2.73

8.07 ± 2.45

8.50 ± 2.91

7.79 ± 2.10

8.26 ± 3.33

0.66

 eGFR^a (ml/min/1.73m²)

88.69 (73.35–98.23)

93.22 (86.74–100.09)

93.03 (83.72–101.29)

91.53 (69.31–98.50)

70.95 (53.66–84.99)^†#&

 < 0.01

 Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.31 ± 0.81

4.31 ± 0.88

4.29 ± 0.71

4.39 ± 0.89

4.22 ± 0.75

0.80

 HDL-C (mmol/L)

1.30 ± 0.35

1.42 ± 0.42

1.37 ± 0.31

1.28 ± 0.35

1.14 ± 0.22^†#

 < 0.01

 LDL-C (mmol/L)

2.38 ± 0.63

2.26 ± 0.57

2.43 ± 0.59

2.57 ± 0.72

2.26 ± 0.60

0.07

 Triglyceride^a (mmol/L)

1.20 (0.80–1.70)

0.90 (0.70–1.40)

1.00 (0.70–1.35)

1.60 (1.13–2.10)^§*

1.40 (1.00–1.90)^†#

 < 0.01

Medications

 Insulin, n (%)

79 (44.9)

19 (44.2)

19 (42.2)

20 (45.5)

21 (47.7)

0.96

 Metformin, n (%)

166 (94.3)

40 (93.0)

43 (95.6)

43 (97.7)

40 (90.9)

0.45

 Sulfonylureas, n (%)

93 (52.8)

27 (62.8)

23 (51.1)

21 (47.7)

22 (50.0)

0.50

 Gliptins, n (%)

36 (20.5)

13 (30.2)

6 (13.3)

6 (13.6)

11 (25.0)

0.13

 ACEI/ARB, n (%)

107 (60.8)

20 (46.5)

28 (62.2)

28 (63.6)

31 (70.5)

0.13

 β-Blocker, n (%)

60 (34.1)

10 (23.3)

14 (31.1)

14 (31.8)

22 (50.0)

0.06

 CCB, n (%)

83 (47.2)

12 (27.9)

19 (42.2)

26 (59.1)

26 (59.1)

 < 0.01

 Diuretics, n (%)

16 (9.1)

–

5 (11.1)

4 (9.1)

7 (15.9)

0.07

 Statin, n (%)

94 (53.4)

22 (51.2)

24 (53.3)

20 (45.5)

28 (63.6)

0.38