Table 5 Baseline characteristics of FDS2 type 2 diabetes participants attending for their first ANS examination between May 2009 and November 2012 by incident hospitalisation for/with heart failure or death from heart failure to 31 December 2021, excluding those with prior hospitalisation for/with heart failure

N (%)

675 (85.0)

119 (15.0)

CAN group (%)

 None

53.8

43.7

 Possible

33.6

31.1

 Definite

12.6

25.2

MCR (n = 794)

21.3 [12.1–33.3]

16.1 [7.9–25.3]

E:I ratio (n = 794)

1.13 [1.08–1.19]

1.11 [1.06–1.17]

Valsalva ratio (n = 775)

1.47 [1.31–1.68]

1.38 [1.22–1.52]

30:15 Stand ratio (n = 794)

1.15 [1.08–1.23]

1.12 [1.06–1.18]

Orthostatic hypotension (%)

12.5

8.4

Age (years)

61.4 ± 10.2

66.5 ± 11.2

Male (%)

56.4

55.5

Education beyond primary level (%)

93.2

93.1

Not fluent in English (%)

6.4

8.4

Ethnic background (%)

 Anglo-Celt

53.3

50.4

 Southern European

11.1

9.2

 Other European

7.4

6.7

 Asian

4.9

3.4

 Aboriginal

5.9

15.1

 Mixed/other

17.3

15.1

Smoking status (%)

 Never

52.8

51.7

 Ex-

37.2

33.6

 Current

10.0

14.7

Alcohol consumption (standard drinks^a/day)

0.3 [0–1.5]

0.1 [0–0.8]

Antidepressant use (%)

14.7

15.1

 Tricyclic antidepressants

3.3

4.2

 Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

8.3

6.7

 Age at diabetes diagnosis (years)

52.9 ± 11.0

52.5 ± 13.6

Diabetes duration (years)

6.1 [2.9–13.1]

14.0 [5.8–19.2]

Diabetes treatment (%)

 Diet/exercise

24.4

16.2

 Oral agents ± non-insulin injectables

56.0

47.9

 Insulin alone

3.1

6.8

 Insulin ± oral agents ± non-insulin injectables

16.5

29.1

HbA_1c (%)

6.9 [6.2–7.7]

7.1 [6.4–8.2]

HbA_1c (mmol/mol)

52 [44–61]

54 [46–66]

Fasting serum glucose (mmol/L)

7.4 [6.5–9.1]

7.5 [6.3–9.3]

ABSI (m^11/6 kg^−2/3)

0.081 ± 0.005

0.082 ± 0.005

BMI (kg/m²)

31.9 ± 6.1

31.6 ± 6.6

Pulse rate (beats/min)

70 ± 11

70 ± 13

Supine systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

141 ± 19

150 ± 23

Supine diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

81 ± 11

80 ± 13

Antihypertensive medication (%)

68.1

77.3

 Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

31.9

38.7

 Angiotensin receptor blockers

32.9

40.3

 Beta-blockers

13.9

26.1

 Calcium channel blockers

20.9

35.3

 Diuretics

24.1

30.3

Total serum cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.3 ± 1.0

4.4 ± 1.7

Serum HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.19 ± 0.30

1.23 ± 0.35

Serum triglycerides (mmol/L)

1.5 (0.9–2.5)

1.6 (0.9–2.8)

Lipid-lowering medication (%)

66.7

74.8

uACR (mg/mmol)

2.3 (0.7–7.1)

5.9 (1.1–32.4)

eGFR (mL/min/1.73m²)

85 ± 18

79 ± 21

eGFR categories (%)

 ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73m²

45.6

31.9

 60–89 mL/min/1.73m²

45.2

48.7

 45–59 mL/min/1.73m²

5.6

12.6

 < 45 mL/min/1.73m²

3.6

6.7

Distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (%)

30.3

45.8

Peripheral arterial disease (%)

16.8

35.3

Prior hospitalisation for IHD (%)

15.4

36.1

Prior hospitalisation for cerebrovascular disease (%)

3.9

10.9