Table 1. Clinical and biochemical baseline characteristics of enrolled patients.
| Control n = 936 | NPDR n = 587 | PDR n = 436 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Caucasian | Caucasian | Caucasian |
| Female (%) | 505 (54.0) | 282 (48.0) [0.027] | 212 (48.6) [0.072] |
| Age (yr) | 66 (61–73) | 66 (61–72) [0.926] | 67 (60–73) [0.374] |
| Age at onset of diabetes (yr) | 52 (46–58) | 51 (47–58) [0.748] | 51 (46–58) [0.499] |
| Duration of diabetes (yr) | 13 (11–18) | 14 (11.5–17) [0.476] | 15 (11–18) [0.607] |
| Family history of diabetes | 582 (62.2) | 374 (63.7) [0.550] | 280 (64.2) [0.472] |
| BMI (Kg/m2) | 27.9 (26.1–30.2) | 27.8 (26.0–30.5) [0.727] | 27.4 (26.0–30.0) [0.210] |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 130 (125–140) | 135 (125–140) [<0.001] | 135 (125–145) [< 0.001] |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 80 (70–80) | 80 (75–80) [0.053] | 80 (75–80) [< 0.001] |
| Hypertension (140/90) | 499 (53.3) | 328 (55.9) [0.342] | 280 (64.2) [< 0.001] |
| Antihypertensive therapy (n) | 325 (34.7) | 218 (37.1) [0.350] | 178 (40.8) [0.030] |
| FPG (mg/dL) | 158 (150–176) | 159 (150–180) [0.984] | 165 (150–181) [0.004] |
| HbA1c (%) | 7.6 (7.2–8.2) | 7.6 (7.3–8.4) [0.755] | 7.8 (7.3–8.5) [0.002] |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol) | 60 (55–66) | 60 (56–68) | 62 (56–69) |
| Diet treatment alone (n) | 3 (0.3) | 1 (0.2) [0.999] | 2 (0.5) [0.656] |
| Non-insulin hypoglycemic agents only (n) | 527 (56.3) | 288 (49.1) [0.006] | 131 (30.0) [< 0.001] |
| Insulin therapy (n) | 406 (43.3) | 298 (50.8) (0.005) | 303 (69.5) [< 0.001] |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 169.0 (151.0–190.0) | 169.0 (149.0–190.0) [0.937] | 169.0 (149.3–192.0) [0.942] |
| HDL-C (mg/dL) | 47.0 (43.0–52.0) | 46.0 (40.0–55.0) [0.116] | 46.0 (40.0–54.0) [0.052] |
| LDL-C (mg/dL) | 94.2 (76.4–114.6) | 98.0 (76.1–113.6) [0.982] | 94.8 (78.2–114.9) [0.969] |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 125 (99–158) | 125 (99–158) [0.613] | 123 (95–160) [0.300] |
| Hypolipidemic therapy (%) | 405 (43.3) | 329 (56.0) [<0.001] | 272 (62.4) [< 0.001] |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 1.1 (1.0–1.2) | 1.0 (0.9–1.2) [0.127] | 1.1 (0.9–1.2) (0.094) |
| Macroangiopathy (n)a | 216 (23.1) | 144 (24.5) [0.536] | 114 (26.1) [0.223] |
| Nephropathy (n)b | 105 (11.2) | 79 (13.4) [0.197] | 70 (16.1) [0.015] |
| Foot disease (n)c | 195 (20.8) | 134 (22.8) [0.338] | 111 (25.5) [0.052] |
Data are medians (IQR) or n (%). Non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used for distribution comparisons of quantitative variables. The two-tailed Fisher Exact Test was used for proportion comparisons between groups. P values versus control patients without DR are shown in square brackets. Significance level < 0.05. BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol.
aIncludes myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and stroke.
bRefers to people with urine albumin:creatinine ratio >30 μg/mg, or with albumin excretion rate >30 mg/day (ADA criteria).
cIncludes foot ulceration, lower-extremity amputation, and sensory impairment.