Table 2.

Baseline characteristics of participants above or below the median age (75 yrs) according to diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome (MetS).

	Subjects below the median age (n = 610)			Subjects above the median age (n = 545)
	Participants with MetS (n = 147) n (%) or mean ± SD	Participants without MetS (n = 463) n (%) or mean ± SD	p	Participants with MetS (n = 121) n (%) or mean ± SD	Participants with MetS (n = 424) n (%) or mean ± SD	p
Demographics & lifestyle habits
Age (years)	69.5 ± 2.8	69.5 ± 2.9	.989	81.0 ± 5.1	82.3 ± 5.70	.18
Sex (female)	94 (63.9%)	228 (49.2%)	.002	89 (73.6%)	244 (57.5%)	.001
Education (years)	5.7 ± 3.0	6.1 ± 3.3	.222	4.1 ± 2.8	4.5 ± 3.3	.222
Current alcohol consumptiona	8.6 ± 6.8	11.4 ± 10.0	.006	8.9 ± 8.7	9.4 ± 9.1	.649
Smokingb	13.1 ± 22.1	13.8 ± 20.5	.248	9.7 ± 21.0	11.5 ± 22.0	.071
Protein consumption (g/Kg/day)	1.02 ± 0.32	1.16 ± 0.32	<.0001	0.99 ± 0.26	1.16 ± 0.32	<.0001
Total lipids consumption (g/Kg/day)	0.87 ± 0.26	1.01 ± 0.32	<.0001	0.86 ± 0.28	0.98 ± 0.30	<.0001
Carbohydrates consumption (g/Kg/day)	3.24 ± 1.21	3.86 ± 1.20	<.0001	3.31 ± 1.04	3.92 ± 1.22	<.0001
Total energy (kcal/Kg/day)	25.18 ± 7.72	30.01 ± 8.46	<.0001	25.0 ± 6.70	29.73 ± 8.23	<.0001
Comorbid conditions
Chronic pulmonary disease	12 (8.2%)	36 (7.8%)	.861	9 (7.4%)	32 (7.5%)	1.000
Heart failure	10 (6.8%)	6 (1.3%)	<.0001	18 (14.9%)	25 (5.9%)	.003
Stroke	11 (7.5%)	22 (4.8%)	.211	14 (11.6%)	38 (9.0%)	.384
Arthritis	12 (8.2%)	39 (8.4%)	1.000	15 (12.4%)	50 (11.8%)	.874
Parkinson's disease	1 (0.7%)	5 (1.1%)	1.000	1 (0.8%)	9 (2.1%)	.700
Peripheral arterial disease	12 (8.2%)	26 (5.6%)	.326	33 (27.3%)	54 (12.7%)	<.0001
Coronary disease	15 (10.2%)	13 (2.8%)	.001	18 (14.9%)	35 (8.3%)	.037
Charlson comorbidity score index	1.0 ± 1.3	0.6 ± 09	<.0001	1.6 ± 1.4	0.9 ± 1.2	<.0001
Medications
Beta-blockers	3 (2%)	13 (2.8%)	.773	4 (3.3%)	7 (1.7%)	.273
Corticosteroids	1 (0.7%)	9(1.9%)	.465	3 (2.5%)	10 (2.4%)	1.000
ACE-Ic	24 (16.3%)	44 (9.5%)	.034	27 (22.3%)	65 (15.3%)	.075
Loop diuretics	16(10.9%)	16 (3.5%)	.001	22 (18.2%)	51 (12.0%)	.095
NSAIDs	3 (2.0%)	8 (1.7%)	.731	4 (3.3%)	5 (1.2%)	.116
Antiplatelets	14 (9.5%)	22 (4.8%)	.043	27 (22.3%)	64 (15.1%)	.072
Objective tests
Total proteins (g/dl)	7.2 ± 0.4	7.1 ± 0.4	.861	7.2 ± 0.4	7.1 ± 0.5	.019
Serum creatinine (mg/dl)	0.9 ± 0.2	0.9 ± 0.1	.235	1.0 ± 0.4	0.9 ± 0.2	.042
Interleukin 6 (pg/ml)	1.9 ± 2.1	1.6 ± 1.6	.046	3.5 ± 8.2	2.8 ± 5.0	.060
CRP-HS (mgml)d	5.8 ± 10.5	4.1 ± 5.5	<.0001	7.8 ± 14.5	6.1 ± 10.5	.009
Mini Mental State Examination	26 ± 3	26 ± 2	.133	22 ± 5	21 ± 7	.035
CES-De	12 ± 8	11 ± 8	.123	16 ± 10	15 ± 9	.107
Body mass index	30.4 ± 4.3	26.9 ± 3.5	<.0001	29.3 ± 4.2	26.0 ± 3.7	<.0001
Hemoglobin (g/dL)	14.1 ± 1.2	14.0 ± 1.3	.367	13.4 ± 1.5	13.3 ± 1.5	.746
Hand grip (Kg)	29.1 ± 12.2	33.0 ± 12.0	.002	22.2 ± 8.5	24.5 ± 10.4	.024
Baseline ADLs disabilityf	6 (4.1%)	3 (0.6%)	.008	9 (7.4%)	58 (13.7%)	.083
Baseline IADLs disabilityg	11 (7.5%)	11 (2.4%)	.009	35 (28.9%)	160 (37.7%)	.085

^aNumber of weekly wine glasses.

^bTotal lifetime pack years.

^cAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibitors.

^dHigh-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein.

^e20-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale.

^fDefined by impairment in 2+ activities of Daily Living.

^gDefined by impairment in 2+ Instrumental Activities of Daily Living.