Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study cohort.

Characteristic	Control (n = 436)	CTD (n = 436)	p value
Age, yr	52.21 ± 15.11	52.42 ± 15.28	0.838
Female	350 (80.3)	350 (80.3)	1.000
Smoke exposure	62 (14.3)	48 (11.0)	0.150
Alcohol use	70 (16.1)	48 (11.0)	0.028
Diabetes	34 (7.8)	52 (11.9)	0.042
Hypertension	78 (17.9)	123 (28.2)	< 0.001
Hyperlipidemia	122 (28.0)	210 (48.2)	< 0.001
BMI	22.90 ± 3.41	22.39 ± 3.27	0.024
Systolic pressure, mmHg	110.90 ± 18.16	130.13 ± 22.90	< 0.001
Diastolic pressure, mmHg	72.68 ± 11.87	77.34 ± 13.31	< 0.001
CRP	8.05 ± 8.97	21.67 ± 19.75	< 0.001
Albumin	37.84 ± 4.31	34.89 ± 5.80	< 0.001
Total cholesterol	3.85 ± 0.87	4.86 ± 1.41	< 0.001
HDL-C	1.18 ± 0.35	1.08 ± 0.35	< 0.001
LDL-C	2.38 ± 0.94	3.01 ± 1.10	< 0.001
Triglyceride	1.78 ± 1.14	1.82 ± 1.16	0.602
Glucose	5.26 ± 1.76	5.45 ± 1.80	0.108
Uric acid	295.86 ± 101.87	302.07 ± 109.93	0.387

BMI: body mass index; CRP: C-reactive protein; CTD: connective tissue disease; HDL-C: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Note: Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation or as n (%).