Table 1.
Comparison of baseline characteristics between treatment groups
| Measurements | Mean baseline pre-VSL#3® (n = 19) | Mean baseline pre-placebo (n = 16) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (y) | 57 ± 8 | 58 ± 7 | 0.96 |
| Gender (male/female)b | 15/4 | 13/3 | 0.91 |
| Duration NAFLD (y)b | 0.25 IQR 2.0 | 1.0 IQR 1.5 | 0.27 |
| No. of T2DM (or IFG)b | 15 | 11 | 0.61 |
| No. of smokersb | 2 | 2 | 0.94 |
| Alcohol (units/wk)b | 1 IQR 8 | 6 IQR 8 | 0.10 |
| BMI (kg/m2)b | 31.2 IQR 9.1 | 31.9 IQR 4.0 | 0.57 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 112.2 ± 14.3 | 111.2 ± 10.7 | 0.81 |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 133 ± 13 | 135 ± 12 | 0.56 |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 82 ± 8 | 82 ± 7 | 0.91 |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/l) | 4.51 ± 1.38 | 4.31 ± 0.85 | 0.61 |
| HDL (mmol/l)b | 0.98 IQR 0.35 | 0.95 IQR 0.54 | 0.66 |
| LDL (mmo/l) | 2.58 ± 1.18 | 2.42 ± 0.70 | 0.64 |
| Triglycerides (mmol/l)b | 1.80 IQR 0.45 | 1.80 IQR 1.27 | 0.73 |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol)b | 54 IQR 17 | 47 IQR 19 | 0.23 |
| HOMA-IRb | 1.6 IQR 1.7 | 3.0 IQR 1.8 | 0.04a |
| ALT (iu/L)b | 43 IQR 56 | 51 IQR 30 | 0.96 |
| AST (iu/L) | 40 ± 16 | 40 ± 15 | 0.99 |
ap < 0.05
bMann Whitney U test for non-parametric data one missing value on LDL as triglyceride (> 4.5 mmol/l) was too high for LDL calculation