Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study cohort

Demographics

 Age (years)

70.0 ± 9.3

66.8 ± 10.2^*

70.3 ± 9.6^§

 < 0.001

 Male (%)

707 (67.5%)

197 (71.1%)

535 (65.0%)

0.157

 BMI (kg/m²)

22.91 ± 3.29

23.97 ± 3.45^*

24.91 ± 3.24^*§

 < 0.001

 Smoking, n (%)

437 (41.7%)

136 (49.1%)

316 (38.4%)^§

0.007

 Dyslipidaemia, n (%)

62 (5.9%)

59 (21.3%)^*

253 (30.7%)^*§

 < 0.001

 Diabetes duration (year)

–

8.4 ± 7.3

9.5 ± 7.7^#

0.036

 Hypertension duration (year)

–

–

12.8 ± 10.9

–

Laboratory data

 HbA1c (%)

–

7.52 ± 1.59

7.49 ± 1.56

0.950

 Fasting blood glucose (mmol/L)

5.26 ± 0.73

7.85 ± 3.20^*

7.57 ± 2.55^*

 < 0.001

 Plasma triglycerides (mmol/L)

1.34 ± 0.88

1.60 ± 0.98^*

1.62 ± 1.10^*

 < 0.001

 Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.26 ± 1.07

4.12 ± 1.10

3.95 ± 1.13^*

 < 0.001

 HDL-C (mmol/L)

1.23 ± 0.41

1.13 ± 0.35^*

1.12 ± 0.32^*

 < 0.001

 LDL-C (mmol/L)

2.52 ± 0.88

2.37 ± 0.91

2.24 ± 0.91^*

 < 0.001

 eGFR ((mL/min/1.73 m²)

82.74 ± 15.48

84.69 ± 16.72

78.57 ± 18.41^*§

 < 0.001

Haemodynamic variables

 SBP (mmHg)

128 ± 17

128 ± 18

142 ± 19^*§

 < 0.001

 DBP (mmHg)

77 ± 11

78 ± 12

81 ± 13^*§

 < 0.001

Diabetes treatment

 Oral, n (%)

–

163 (58.8%)

578 (70.2%)^§

 < 0.001

 Insulin, n (%)

–

74 (26.7%)

255 (31%)

0.179

Hypertension treatment

 ACEI/ARB, n (%)

–

–

292 (35.5%)

–

 Beta‑blocker, n (%)

–

–

129 (15.7%)

–

 Calcium channel blocker, n (%)

–

–

425 (51.6%)

–

 Diuretics, n (%)

–

–

66 (8.0%)

–

Lipid-lowering medication

 Statins, n (%)

103 (9.8%)

53 (19.1%)^*

193 (23.5%)^*

 < 0.001