Table 2.
Baseline (t0) characteristics of the study groups.
| Parameter | HBS group n = 43 | LBS group n = 42 | p value∗ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women/Men | 30/13 | 29/13 | 0.943 |
| Age (years) | 55 (17) | 55 (10) | 0.725 |
| Body weight (kg) | 70.5 (19.3) | 69.8 (17.9) | 0.582 |
| Height (m) | 1.70 (0.12) | 1.70 (0.10) | 0.287 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.8 (4.51) | 24.6 (5.63) | 0.529 |
| WC (cm) | 85.0 (14.0) | 83.5 (18.0) | 0.519 |
| HC (cm) | 99.0 (12.0) | 101 (9.00) | 0.748 |
| WHR | 0.83 (0.09) | 0.85 (0.11) | 0.547 |
Data are shown as median (IQR). HBS = high bicarbonate and sodium, LBS = low bicarbonate and sodium. BMI = body mass index, HC = hip circumference, WC = waist circumference, WHR = waist-to-hip ratio. ∗Distribution of gender between groups was analyzed using the Chi-Quadrat test. All other group differences were assessed using unpaired t-test/Welch-test, or Mann–Whitney U test.