Table 3.
Baseline clinical features of study participants by HbA1c target categories.
| Variables | T1 | T2 | T3 | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n (%) | 4989 (31.9) | 4621 (29.5) | 6046 (38.6) | |
| Deaths, n (%) | 991 (19.9) | 1330 (28.8) | 1281 (21.2) | <0.001 |
| Age, years | 66.7 ± 9.9 | 69.4 ± 10.1 | 64.4 ± 10.3 | <0.001 |
| Male gender, n (%) | 2833 (56.8) | 2818 (61.0) | 3251 (53.8) | <0.001 |
| Smoking, n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| Never | 2837 (56.9) | 2581 (55.9) | 3431 (56.7) | |
| Former | 1435 (28.8) | 1455 (31.5) | 1517 (25.1) | |
| Current | 717 (14.4) | 585 (12.7) | 1098 (18.2) | |
| Diabetes duration, years | 12.7 ± 10.1 | 13.3 ± 10.7 | 13.6 ± 9.8 | <0.001 |
| HbA1c, % | 7.13 ± 0.57 | 6.22 ± 0.66 | 8.90 ± 1.40 | <0.001 |
| (mmol·mol−1) | (54.4 ± 6.2) | (44.5 ± 7.2) | (73.8 ± 15.3) | |
| BMI, kg·m−2 | 28.8 ± 5.0 | 28.2 ± 4.7 | 29.7 ± 5.5 | <0.001 |
| Waist circumference, cm | 102.1 ± 10.1 | 101.1 ± 9.7 | 103.9 ± 11.0 | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides, mmol·L−1 | 1.51 ± 0.89 | 1.42 ± 0.86 | 1.74 ± 1.14 | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol, mmol·L−1 | 4.78 ± 0.95 | 4.69 ± 0.96 | 4.86 ± 1.04 | <0.001 |
| HDL cholesterol, mmol·L−1 | 1.30 ± 0.34 | 1.32 ± 0.37 | 1.26 ± 0.35 | <0.001 |
| LDL cholesterol, mmol·L−1 | 3.47 ± 0.91 | 3.37 ± 0.91 | 3.61 ± 1.00 | <0.001 |
| Non-HDL cholesterol, mmol·L−1 | 2.79 ± 0.82 | 2.73 ± 0.83 | 2.83 ± 0.88 | <0.001 |
| Systolic BP, mmHg | 138.3 ± 17.9 | 137.5 ± 17.9 | 138.2 ± 18.2 | 0.06 |
| Diastolic BP, mmHg | 79.0 ± 9.2 | 78.3 ± 9.5 | 78.9 ± 9.6 | 0.01 |
| Pulse pressure, mmHg | 59.4 ± 15.6 | 59.2 ± 15.8 | 59.3 ± 15.7 | 0.87 |
| Anti-hyperglycaemic treatment, n (%) | ||||
| Lifestyle | 810 (16.2) | 927 (20.1) | 376 (6.2) | <0.001 |
| Insulin | 972 (19.5) | 860 (18.6) | 2092 (34.6) | <0.001 |
| Non-insulin agents | 3207 (64.3) | 2834 (61.3) | 3578 (59.2) | <0.001 |
| Metformin | 2784 (55.8) | 2195 (47.5) | 3666 (60.6) | <0.001 |
| Pioglitazone | 181 (3.6) | 92 (2.0) | 281 (4.6) | <0.001 |
| Acarbose | 49 (1.0) | 47 (1.0) | 74 (1.2) | 0.41 |
| Sulfonylureas | 1610 (32.3) | 1314 (28.4) | 2326 (38.5) | <0.001 |
| Repaglinide | 461 (9.2) | 510 (11.0) | 554 (9.2) | 0.01 |
| Agents causing hypoglycaemia, n (%) | 2835 (56.8) | 2557 (55.3) | 4438 (73.4) | <0.001 |
| Lipid-lowering treatment, n (%) | 2314 (46.4) | 2148 (46.5) | 2776 (45.9) | 0.82 |
| Anti-hypertensive treatment, n (%) | 3504 (70.2) | 3449 (74.6) | 4119 (68.1) | <0.001 |
| Albuminuria, mg·day−1 | 64.1 ± 285.4 | 80.3 ± 377.0 | 73.0 ± 290.3 | 0.04 |
| Serum creatinine, μmol·L−1 | 79.6 ± 31.8 | 85.7±42.4 | 78.7±29.2 | <0.001 |
| eGFR, mL·min−1·1.73 m−2 | 81.0±19.7 | 76.6±21.7 | 82.5±21.0 | <0.001 |
| DKD phenotype, n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| No DKD | 3348 (67.1) | 2859 (61.9) | 3777 (62.5) | |
| Albuminuric DKD with preserved eGFR | 863 (17.3) | 767 (16.6) | 1336 (22.1) | |
| Non-albuminuric DKD | 461 (9.2) | 523 (11.3) | 492 (8.1) | |
| Albuminuric DKD with reduced eGFR | 317 (6.4) | 472 (10.2) | 441 (7.3) | |
| DR, n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| No DR | 4064 (81.5) | 3695 (80.0) | 4430 (73.3) | |
| Non-advanced DR | 529 (10.6) | 444 (9.6) | 974 (16.1) | |
| Advanced DR | 396 (7.9) | 482 (10.4) | 642 (10.6) | |
| CVD, n (%) | ||||
| Any | 1004 (20.1) | 1457 (31.5) | 1159 (19.2) | <0.001 |
| Myocardial infarction | 480 (9.6) | 703 (15.2) | 559 (9.2) | <0.001 |
| Coronary revascularization | 447 (9.0 | 617 (13.4) | 515 (8.5) | <0.001 |
| Stroke | 137 (2.7) | 231 (5.0) | 145 (2.4) | <0.001 |
| Carotid revascularization | 250 (5.0) | 308 (6.7) | 298 (4.9) | <0.001 |
| Ulcer/gangrene/amputation | 158 (3.2) | 217 (4.7) | 181 (3.0) | <0.001 |
| Lower limb revascularization | 122 (2.4) | 171 (3.7) | 157 (2.6) | <0.001 |
| Comorbidities n (%) | ||||
| Any | 756 (15.2) | 1261 (27.3) | 770 (12.7) | <0.001 |
| COPD | 167 (3.3) | 322 (7.0) | 185 (3.1) | <0.001 |
| Chronic liver disease | 385 (7.7) | 570 (12.3) | 406 (6.7) | <0.001 |
| Cancer | 276 (5.5) | 504 (10.9) | 251 (4.2) | <0.001 |
HbA1c = haemoglobin A1c; T1 = HbA1c on-target (≤0.5% below or above personalized goal); T2 = HbA1c below-target (>0.5% below personalized goal); T3 = HbA1c above-target (>0.5% above personalized goal); BMI = body mass index; HDL = high-density lipoprotein; LDL = low-density lipoprotein; BP = blood pressure; ACE-I = angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB = angiotensin receptor blocker; eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate; DKD = diabetic kidney disease; DR = diabetic retinopathy; CVD = cardiovascular disease; COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.