Table 1 Baseline characteristics of FDS2 participants categorised by CAN status

N (%)

423 (51.0)

280 (33.7)

127 (15.3)

Orthostatic hypotension (%)

12.3

11.5

11.1

Age (years)

62.2 ± 10.5

62.1 ± 10.2

63.2 ± 11.4

Male (%)

57.9

54.6

52.8

Education beyond primary level (%)

92.3

94.2

90.3

Not fluent in English (%)

6.6

7.1

6.3

Ethnic background (%)

 Anglo-Celt

55.1

51.4

48.8

 Southern European

10.6

11.1

10.2

 Other European

5.9

8.9

10.2

 Asian

4.0

5.7

3.1

 Aboriginal

5.2

10.0

11.8

 Mixed/other

19.1

12.9

15.7

Smoking status (%)

 Never

53.5

50.9

50.4

 Ex-

37.7

36.5

34.1

 Current

8.8

12.6

15.4

Alcohol use (standard drinks^a/day)

0.3 [0–1.5]

0.3 [0–1.5]

0.1 [0–1.0]

Antidepressant use (%)

10.6

16.4

24.4^***

 Tricyclic antidepressants

2.6

1.8

8.7^*,†

 Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

6.1

11.1

7.1

Age at diabetes diagnosis (years)

53.8 ± 11.0

53.1 ± 10.7

49.4 ± 13.9^***,††

Diabetes duration (years)

6.0 [2.6–11.9]

8.0 [3.0–15.1]

10.0 [4.0–17.2]^{***,†††}

Diabetes treatment (%)

^{***,†††}

 Diet/exercise alone

26.5

22.7

12.7

 Oral glucose lowering agents

55.7

55.6

46.0

 Insulin alone

3.3

2.5

8.7

 Insulin + oral agents

14.5

19.1

32.5

HbA_1c (%)

6.8 [6.2–7.8]

6.9 [6.2–7.8]

7.3 [6.6–8.4]^***,††

HbA_1c (mmol/mol)

50 [44–58]

51 [44–61]

57 [49–74]

Fasting serum glucose (mmol/L)

7.2 [6.3–8.6]

7.4 [6.4–9.3]

8.2 [6.7–10.3]^***,†

ABSI (m^11/6 kg^−2/3)

0.081 ± 0.005

0.081 ± 0.005

0.082 ± 0.005

BMI (kg/m²)

31.2 ± 5.9

32.4 ± 6.2^*

33.5 ± 7.1^**

Heart rate (beats/min)

69 ± 11

70 ± 11

74 ± 13^***,††

Supine systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

141 ± 19

143 ± 21

143 ± 22

Supine diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

81 ± 11

81 ± 11

78 ± 14

Antihypertensive medication (%)

66.0

72.1

78.7^*

 Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

32.9

33.6

38.6

 Angiotensin receptor blockers

30.5

36.4

38.6

 Beta-blockers

10.9

21.4^***

29.9^***

 Calcium channel blockers

16.8

26.1^**

36.2^***

 Diuretics

20.1

29.3^*

37.8^***

Total serum cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.3 ± 0.9

4.4 ± 1.1

4.5 ± 1.6

Serum HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.21 ± 0.32

1.16 ± 0.28

1.17 ± 0.32

Serum triglycerides (mmol/L)

1.5 (0.9–2.4)

1.6 (0.9–2.7)

1.7 (1.1–2.8)^**

Lipid-lowering medication (%)

67.8

67.5

69.3

uACR (mg/mmol)

2.2 (0.7–6.7)

2.9 (0.8–10.4)^*

5.2 (0.9–30.5)^{***,†††}

eGFR (mL/min/1.73m²)

85 ± 17

84 ± 20

77 ± 23^***,††

eGFR categories (%)

^*

^***,†

 ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73m²

43.0

47.9

30.7

 60–89 mL/min/1.73m²

49.9

39.6

44.9

 45–59 mL/min/1.73m²

5.2

6.4

13.4

 30–44 mL/min/1.73m²

1.4

4.3

6.3

 < 30 mL/min/1.73m²

0.5

1.8

4.7

Distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (%)

29.4

32.1

44.4^**

Peripheral arterial disease (%)

18.2

20.1

27.6

Prior IHD hospitalisation (%)

15.1

23.2^*

32.3^***

Prior cerebrovascular disease hospitalisation (%)

4.5

4.6

7.9

Prior HF hospitalisation (%)

1.7

5.7^*

8.7^**