Table 1. Anthropometric and biochemical characteristics of the study subjects stratified according to fibrosis risk score.
| Variables | Whole study subjects | Low probability of fibrosis (< −1.455) | Intermediate probability of fibrosis (−1.455–0.676) | High probability of fibrosis (>0.676) | P |
| Gender (Male/Female) | 319/251 | 126/110 | 162/117 | 31/24 | 0.56 |
| Age (yrs) | 54.1±13.5 | 47.0±12.4 | 57.7±11.1d | 66.5±12.9d | <0.0001 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 32.3±6.5 | 30.5±5.3 | 33.0±6.1b | 36.9±9.3d | <0.0001 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 107±14 | 102±12 | 109±13d | 116±17d | <0.0001 |
| Current smokers No (%) | 102 (17.9%) | 50 (21.2%) | 48 (17.2%) | 4 (7.3%)a | 0.04 |
| SBP (mmHg) | 135±18 | 133±17 | 136±18 | 144±23d | <0.0001 |
| DBP (mmHg) | 82±11 | 82±10 | 82±11 | 81±12 | 0.82 |
| Fasting glucose (mg/dl) | 113±47 | 99±35 | 120±46d | 143±67d | <0.0001 |
| 2-h post-load glucose (mg/dl) | 137±45 | 123±39 | 148±48d | 158±50d | <0.0001 |
| Fasting insulin (μU/ml) | 15±9 | 14±9 | 16±9a | 18±10a | 0.008 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dl) | 197±40 | 204±37 | 193±40b | 181±39d | <0.0001 |
| HDL (mg/dl) | 47±13 | 48±13 | 47±13 | 45±12 | 0.67 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dl) | 144±71 | 137±67 | 150±73 | 144±73 | 0.14 |
| Uric acid (mg/dl) | 5.5±1.4 | 5.3±1.3 | 5.6±1.4 | 6.3±1.8d | <0.0001 |
| IGF-1 (ng/ml) | 144±57 | 158±57 | 137±54d | 117±46d | <0.0001 |
| eGFR (ml/min/1.73m2) | 93±25 | 102 ±27 | 87±21d | 82±24d | <0.0001 |
| CKD No, (%) | 38 (6.7%) | 6 (2.5%) | 21 (7.5%) | 11 (20.0%) | <0.0001 |
| hsCRP (mg/l) | 4.3±3.9 | 3.9±3.7 | 4.3±3.7 | 5.9±5.1c | 0.003 |
| Fibrinogen (mg/dl) | 318±80 | 307±81 | 322±78a | 343±85b | 0.003 |
| ALT (UI/l) | 30±18 | 32±19 | 29±16a | 23±16c | <0.0001 |
| AST (UI/l) | 25±14 | 23±11 | 25±12 | 30±25b | 0.01 |
| AST/ALT ratio | 0.94±0.44 | 0.83±0.27 | 0.94±0.33c | 1.41±0.96d | <0.0001 |
| GGT (UI/l) | 36±30 | 35±26 | 35±28 | 46±44 | 0.25 |
| Platelet count (x109/l) | 249±71 | 288±76 | 230±49d | 179±43d | <0.0001 |
| Albumin (g/dl) | 4.43±0.35 | 4.52±0.38 | 4.41±0.30d | 4.14±0.29d | <0.0001 |
| HOMA-IR index | 4.2±3.7 | 3.5±2.9 | 4.5±2.9b | 6.5±7.5d | <0.0001 |
| NFG/IFG/IGT/T2DM (No) | 220/63/112/175 | 158/18/29/31 | 58/39/69/113d | 4/6/14/31d | <0.0001 |
| Metabolic syndrome No (%) | 392 (68.8%) | 127 (53.8%) | 219 (78.5%)d | 46 (83.6%)d | <0.0001 |
| Antidiabetic treatment (No) | |||||
| Diet/Oral hypoglycemic agents/Insulin | 66/59/50 | 13/11/7 | 45/42/26 | 8/6/17 | 0.01 |
| Therapy with statins No (%) | 144 (25.3%) | 38 (16.1%) | 82 (29.4%)c | 24(43.6%)d | <0.0001 |
| ACE inhibitor therapy, No (%) | 156 (27.4%) | 53 (22.5%) | 80 (28.7%)b | 23(41.8%)d | <0.0001 |
| Angiotensin receptor blocker therapy, No (%) | 132 (23.2%) | 38(16.1%) | 77 (27.6%)d | 17 (30.9%)d | <0.0001 |
| Calcium channel blockers, No (%) | 117 (20.5%) | 46 (19.5%) | 56 (20.1%) | 15(27.3%) | 0.42 |
| Diuretics, No (%) | 143 (25.1%) | 30 (12.7%) | 84 (30.1%)d | 29 (52.7%)d | <0.0001 |
Data are means ± SD. Insulin, triglyceride, hsCRP, and GGT levels were log transformed for statistical analysis, but values in the table represent a back transformation to the original scale. Categorical variables were compared by χ2 test. P values refer to results after analyses with adjustment for gender. M = male; F = female; BMI = body mass index; SBP = systolic blood pressure; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; HDL = high-density lipoprotein; hsCRP = high sensitivity C-reactive protein; ALT = alanine aminotransferase; AST = aspartate aminotransferase; GGT = gamma-glutamyltransferase; HOMA-IR = homeostasis model assessment index of insulin resistance; IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor-1; eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate; CKD = chronic kidney disease; ACE = angiotensin-converting-enzyme; NFG = normal glucose tolerance; IFG = impaired fasting glucose; IGT = impaired glucose tolerance; T2DM = type 2 diabetes.
P<0.05 vs. Low risk of fibrosis group.
P<0.01 vs. Low risk of fibrosis group.
P<0.001 vs. Low risk of fibrosis group
P<0.0001 vs. Low risk of fibrosis group.