Table 1. Demographic and clinical features of the studied DS persons.
| DEMOGRAPHICS | The whole group (n = 67) | 11–17 years (n = 8) | 18–29 years (n = 24) | 30–39 years (n = 17) | ≥40 years (n = 18) |
| Age (years) | 31.62±13.25 | 13.96±2.21 | 22.34±3.40 | 34.27±3.04 | 49.34±6.91 |
| Range | 11–66 | 11–17 | 18–29 | 30–39 | 40–66 |
| Gender (M, F) | M = 34 (50.7%) | M = 2 (25%) | M = 13 (54.2%) | M = 11 (64.7%) | M = 8 (45.4%) |
| F = 33 (49.3%) | F = 6 (75%) | F = 11 (45.8%) | F = 6 (35.3%) | F = 10 (55.6%) | |
| Weight (Kg) | 60.24±13.77 | 48.57±10.94 | 59.88±13.16 | 60.47±15.40 | 65.01±11.95 |
| Height (cm) | 149.83±9.06 | 144.71±13.35 | 149.48±7.79 | 154.30±7.63 | 148.27±8.84 |
| BMI | 26.87±5.41 | 23.20±5.00 | 26.56±4.17 | 25.64±5.62 | 29.76±5.72 |
| Abdominal circumferences (cm) | 88.53± 14.21 | 76.13±7.51 | 84.79±13.86 | 89.50±15.02 | 98.16±9.94 |
| Frontal-occipital head circumference (cm) | 52.20±1.75 | 51.10±1.41 | 52.54±1.51 | 52.69±1.97 | 51.69±1.80 |
| Cognitive impairment levels | |||||
| Mild | 34 (51%) | 3 (37.5%) | 14 (58.5%) | 10 (59%) | 7 (39%) |
| Moderate | 17 (25%) | 2 (25%) | 7 (29%) | 4 (23.5%) | 4 (22%) |
| Severe | 9 (13.5%) | 3 (37.5%) | 1 (4%) | 2 (11.5%) | 3 (17%) |
| Profound | 7 (10.5%) | 0 | 2 (8.5%) | 1 (6%) | 4 (22%) |
| ApoE genotyping | n = 66 | n = 8 | n = 23 | n = 17 | n = 18 |
| ε2/ε3 | 6 (9%) | 0 | 1 (4.5%) | 4 (23%) | 1 (5.5%) |
| ε2/ε4 | 1 (2%) | 0 | 1 (4.5%) | 0 | 0 |
| ε3/ε3 | 49 (74%) | 6 (75%) | 15 (65%) | 12 (71%) | 16 (89%) |
| ε3/ε4 | 10 (15%) | 2 (25%) | 6 (26%) | 1 (6%) | 1 (5.5%) |
| ε4/ε4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visual problem | |||||
| No problem | 13 (19.4%) | 0 | 1 (4.2%) | 4 (23.5%) | 8 (44.4%) |
| Mild | 45 (67.2%) | 8 (100%) | 19 (79.2%) | 9 (53%) | 9 (50%) |
| Moderate | 9 (13.4%) | 0 | 4 (16.6%) | 4 (23.5%) | 1 (5.6%) |
| Severe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hearing problem | |||||
| No problem | 61 (91%) | 8 (100%) | 22 (91.6%) | 14 (82.3%) | 17 (94.4) |
| Mild | 4 (6%) | 0 | 1 (4.2%) | 2 (11.8%) | 1 (5.6) |
| Moderate | 2 (3%) | 0 | 1 (4.2%) | 1 (5.9%) | 0 |
| Severe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Congenital Heart Disease | 17 (25.4%) | 3 (37.5%) | 8 (33.3%) | 6 (35.3%) | 0 |
| Tyroxine treatment | 31 (46.3%) | 3 (37.5%) | 10 (41.7%) | 8 (47%) | 10 (55.6%) |
| Antidepressant Treatment | 2 (3%) | 0 | 0 | 2 (11.7%) | 0 |
| Anti-psychotic | 6 (9%) | 0 | 0 | 2 (11.7%) | 4 (22.2%) |
| Epilepsy | 2 (3%) | 0 | 1 (4.2%) | 0 | 1 (5.6%) |
| Laterality | A | B | C | D | E |
| Arm | Right 44 (69.8%) | Right 5 (62.5%) | Right 13 (56.5%) | Right 14 (87.5%) | Right 12 (75%) |
| (A = 63; B = 8; C = 23; D = 16; E = 16) | Left 12 (19%) | Left 1 (12.5%) | Left 8 (34.8%) | Left 1 (6.25%) | Left 2 (12.5%) |
| Mixed 7 (11.1%) | Mixed 2 (25%) | Mixed2 (8.7%) | Mixed 1 (6.25%) | Mixed 2 (12.5%) | |
| Leg | Right 19 (31.7%) | Right 3 (37.5%) | Right 7 (31.8%) | Right 7 (43.7%) | Right 2 (14.3%) |
| (A = 60, B = 8; C = 22; D = 16; E = 14) | Left 18 (30%) | Left (25%) | Left 10 (45.5%) | Left 3 (18.8%) | Left 3 (21.4%) |
| Mixed 23(38.3%) | Mixed 3 (37.5%) | Mixed 5 (22.7%) | Mixed 6 (37.5%) | Mixed 9 (64,2%) | |
| Eye | Right 40 (66%) | Right 5 (62.5%) | Right 16 (72.7%) | Right 9 (56.2%) | Right 10 (66.6%) |
| (A = 61, B = 8; C = 22; D = 16; E = 15) | Left 21 (34%) | Left 3 (37.5%) | Left 6 (27.3%) | Left 7 (43.8%) | Left 5 (33.4%) |
| Education (years) | 9.63±3.05 | 8.13±1.89 | 12.25±1.51 | 9.41±2.45 | 7±2.79 |
| Current Accommodation | |||||
| On his/her own | 1 (1.5%) | 0 | 0 | 1 (6%) | 0 |
| With relatives | 58 (86.5%) | 8 (100%) | 24 (100%) | 15 (88%) | 11 (61.1%) |
| In a group home with full time staff | 6 (9%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 (33.3) |
| In a nursing home with full nursing care | 2 (3%) | 0 | 0 | 1 (6%) | 1 (5.6%) |
| Daily activity/Work | |||||
| School | 11 (16.4%) | 8 (100%) | 3 (12.5%) | 0 | 0 |
| Mainstream Paid Employment | 17 (25.4%) | 0 | 10 (41.7%) | 6 (35.3%) | 1 (5.6%) |
| Sheltered workshop (work centre) | 23 (34.3%) | 0 | 10 (41.7%) | 5 (29.4%) | 8 (44.4%) |
| Day centre for people with learning disabilities | 13 (19.4%) | 0 | 1 (4.1%) | 6 (35.3%) | 6 (33.3%) |
| No specific activity | 3 (4.5%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 (16.7%) |
Values are expressed as mean ± SD. See text for further description.