Table 1 Baseline characteristics of participants completing the study

Sex (female/male)

20/26 (43.5%/56.5%)

19/26 (42.2%/57.8%)

> 0.99

Age (years)

24.4 ± 6.4

26.0 ± 6.8

0.23

History of smoking, n (%)

2 (4.3%)

9 (20.0%)

0.03

Blood pressure

 Systolic (mmHg)

116.8 ± 12.3

114.8 ± 11.2

0.42

 Diastolic (mmHg)

76.3 ± 9.7

78.7 ± 8.7

0.21

Physical examination

 Height (m)

1.73 ± 0.1

1.73 ± 0.1

0.74

 Weight (kg)

69.9 ± 11.3

72.9 ± 9.9

0.17

 BMI (kg/m²)

23.2 ± 2.9

24.6 ± 3.5

0.04

Baseline blood tests

 HbA1c (mmol/mol)

35.2 ± 2.9

70.3 ± 17.7

< 0.0001

 Sodium (mmol/L)

140.9 ± 1.9

139.8 ± 2.4

0.02

 Potassium (mmol/L)

4.0 ± 0.3

4.1 ± 0.3

0.06

 Creatinine (µmol/L)

80.9 ± 13.1

78.5 ± 20.7

0.50

 Urea (mmol/L)

4.9 ± 1.2

5.3 ± 1.3

0.16

 Bilirubin (µmol/L)

11.0 ± 6.5

11.9 ± 6.5

0.43

 ALT (IU/L)

21.2 ± 8.4

19.3 ± 8.4

0.24

 ALP (IU/L)

166.0 ± 48.5

203.5 ± 70.6

0.004

 Albumin (g/L)

46.0 ± 2.4

44.7 ± 2.6

0.02

 Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.2 ± 0.9

4.4 ± 0.7

0.23

 LDL (mmol/L)

2.4 ± 0.8

2.5 ± 0.5

0.43

 HDL (mmol/L)

1.5 ± 0.4

1.6 ± 0.4

0.24

 Triglycerides (mmol/L)

0.96 ± 0.31

0.90 ± 0.35

0.34

 FT₄ (pmol/L)

14.8 ± 2.2

15.0 ± 1.7

0.70

 TSH (mIU/L)

2.4 ± 1.0

2.3 ± 1.3

0.84

 Haemoglobin (g/dL)

14.2 ± 1.2

14.4 ± 1.0

0.22

 Leukocyte count (×10⁹/L)

6.1 ± 1.5

6.4 ±1.7

0.43

 Platelet count (×10⁹/L)

266 ± 53

279 ± 67

0.29

Time since diabetes diagnosis (months)

–

124.8 ± 101.8

–

Family history

 Ischaemic heart disease

16 (34.8%)

9 (20.0%)

0.16

 Autoimmunity

11(23.9%)

16 (35.6%)

0.26