Table 1.
Clinical Characteristics of the Study Groups
| Young (n = 100) | Elderly (n = 109) | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 29 (25-33) | 72 (68-76) | <0.001 |
| Male | 49 (49) | 45 (41) | 0.32 |
| Height, cm | 172 (167-180) | 160 (156-169) | <0.001 |
| Weight, kg | 69 (60-84) | 77 (67-87) | 0.046 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 23.0 (21.1-26.0) | 28.0 (25.7-31.0) | <0.001 |
| BSA, m2 | 1.8 (1.7-2.0) | 1.8 (1.7-2.0) | 0.84 |
| Hypertension | 9 (9) | 66 (61) | <0.001 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 6 (6) | 25 (23) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 1 (1) | 20 (18) | <0.001 |
| Former smokers | 51 (51) | 41 (38) | 0.071 |
| Current smokers | 32 (32) | 5 (5) | <0.001 |
| Creatinine, μmol/L | 75 (61-85) | 80 (68-91) | 0.020 |
| GFR, mL/min/1.73 m2 | 98 (83-108) | 72 (59-80) | <0.001 |
| Glucose, mmol/L | 5.2 (4.9-5.7) | 5.7 (5.3-6.5) | <0.001 |
| HbA1c (n = 204), % | 5.3 (5.1-5.5) | 5.8 (5.5-6.1) | <0.001 |
| Triglyceride, mmol/L | 1.2 (0.8-1.8) | 2.0 (1.5-2.9) | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol, mmol/L | 4.9 ± 0.9 | 5.8 ± 1.0 | <0.001 |
| LDL-C (n = 199), mmol/L | 2.8 (2.3-3.3) | 3.6 (3.1-4.1) | <0.001 |
| HDL-C, mmol/L | 1.5 (1.2-1.8) | 1.4 (1.2-1.7) | 0.17 |
| ASAT, U/L | 18 (16-21) | 19 (16-23) | 0.21 |
| ALAT, U/L | 16.5 (13.0-23.0) | 16.0 (13.0-21.0) | 0.92 |
| GGT, U/L | 13 (10-22) | 21 (14-31) | <0.001 |
| ALP, U/L | 63 (53-78) | 74 (63-89) | <0.001 |
| hs-CRP (n = 208), mg/L | 1.0 (0.5-2.8) | 2.2 (1.1-4.9) | <0.001 |
| NT-proBNP (n = 205), pg/mL | 33 (15-60) | 99 (69-209) | <0.001 |
| CIMT (n = 174), mm | 0.6 (0.6-0.6) | 0.9 (0.9-1.0) | <0.001 |
| PCSK9, ng/mL | 188 (156-211) | 236 (202-279) | <0.001 |
Values are median (IQR), n (%), or mean ± SD. The characteristics of the 2 groups were compared using unpaired Student’s t test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and chi-square or Fisher exact test for categorical variables, as appropriate.
ALAT = alanine aminotransferase; ALP = alkaline phosphatase; ASAT = aspartate aminotransferase; BMI = body mass index; BSA = body surface area; CIMT = maximal carotid intima-media thickness; GFR = glomerular filtration rate; GGT = gamma-glutamyltransferase; HbA1c = glycosylated hemoglobin; HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; hs-CRP = high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; LDL-C = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; NT-proBNP = N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide; PCSK9 = proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9.