Table 1.
Characteristics of subjects according to quartile group for serum retinol.
| Total (n = 4448) |
Serum Retinol | p-Value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 * (n = 1112) |
Q2 * (n = 1112) |
Q3 * (n = 1112) |
Q4 * (n = 1112) |
||
| Age (years) | 45.9 ± 17.2 | 49.4 ± 16.1 | 51.8 ± 15.3 | 54.2 ± 14.7 | <0.001 |
| Sex (male) | 210 (18.9) | 356 (32.0) | 488 (43.9) | 623 (56.0) | <0.001 |
| Income | 0.04 | ||||
| 1st quartile (lowest) | 279 (25.1) | 295 (26.5) | 266 (23.9) | 253 (22.8) | |
| 2nd quartile | 301 (27.1) | 244 (21.9) | 269 (24.2) | 305 (27.4) | |
| 3rd quartile | 266 (23.9) | 301 (27.1) | 304 (27.3) | 270 (24.3) | |
| 4th quartile (highest) | 266 (23.9) | 272 (24.5) | 273 (24.6) | 284 (25.5) | |
| SBP (mmHg) | 113.1 ± 16.0 | 116.8 ± 16.8 | 119.3 ± 16.6 | 121.8 ± 16.4 | <0.001 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 23.1 ± 3.7 | 23.6 ± 3.7 | 24.0 ± 3.3 | 24.4 ± 3.3 | <0.001 |
| FBG (mg/dL) | 95.4 ± 19.3 | 98.8 ± 22.1 | 103.1 ± 28.7 | 105.0 ± 27.0 | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 185.3 ± 32.6 | 192.0 ± 36.1 | 195.8 ± 37.4 | 197.3 ± 40.1 | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 91.0 ± 56.7 | 118.9 ± 88.8 | 134.8 ± 82.9 | 170.5 ± 119.9 | <0.001 |
| HDL-C (mg/dL) | 53.4 ± 12.4 | 51.6 ± 12.9 | 50.7 ± 12.6 | 49.5 ± 12.3 | <0.001 |
| GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 95.6 ± 18.2 | 92.3 ± 17.5 | 88.5 ± 16.8 | 84.1 ± 23.5 | <0.001 |
| Hypertension | 223 (20.1) | 291 (26.2) | 355 (31.9) | 456 (41.0) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes | 78 (7.0) | 102 (9.2) | 154 (13.8) | 197 (17.7) | <0.001 |
| Dyslipidemia | 282 (25.4) | 385 (34.6) | 521 (46.9) | 634 (57.0) | <0.001 |
| Current smoker | 62 (5.6) | 107 (9.6) | 132 (11.9) | 240 (21.6) | <0.001 |
| Alcohol consumption | 322 (29.0) | 382 (34.4) | 431 (38.8) | 541 (48.7) | <0.001 |
| Regular exercise | 480 (43.2) | 485 (43.6) | 477 (42.9) | 453 (40.7) | 0.53 |
| Use of supplements | 534 (48.0%) | 573 (51.5%) | 601 (54.0%) | 628 (56.5%) | 0.001 |
| Dietary vitamin A intake (μgRE/day) | 596.3 ± 677.9 | 634.6 ± 603.6 | 620.7 ± 536.4 | 607.1 ± 493.5 | 0.81 |
| Serum retinol level (mg/L) | 0.32 ± 0.06 | 0.43 ± 0.03 | 0.53 ± 0.03 | 0.74 ± 0.15 | <0.001 |
| <0.3 mg/L | 325 (29.2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
| 0.3–0.7 mg/L | 787 (70.8) | 1112 (100) | 1112 (100) | 584 (52.5) | |
| >0.7 mg/L | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 528 (47.5) | |
| NAFLD assessed by HSI | 138 (12.4) | 193 (17.4) | 244 (21.9) | 287 (25.8) | <0.001 |
| NAFLD assessed by FSI | 151 (13.6) | 227 (20.4) | 287 (25.8) | 429 (38.6) | <0.001 |
| NAFLD assessed by CNS | 325 (29.2) | 461 (41.5) | 578 (52.0) | 729 (65.6) | <0.001 |
Continuous variables are reported as mean with standard deviation, and categorical variables are reported as number with percentage. Serum retinol levels were categorized into quartiles. * Q1, <0.39 mg/L; Q2, 0.39–0.48 mg/L; Q3, 0.48–0.59 mg/L; and Q4, >0.59 mg/L. SBP, systolic blood pressure; BMI, body mass index; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; RE, retinol equivalent; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; HSI, hepatic steatosis index; FBG, fasting blood glucose; FSI, Framingham steatosis index; CNS, comprehensive NAFLD score. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation or number (%).