TABLE 1.
General study population characteristics according to tertiles of arteriolar diameter
| Characteristic | Total study group (N = 2434) | Tertiles of arteriolar diameter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tertile 1 (low) (n = 811) | Tertile 2 (middle) (n = 809) | Tertile 3 (high) (n = 814) | ||
| Demographics | ||||
| Age, years | 59.8 ± 8.2 | 61.3 ± 7.9 | 59.6 ± 8.1 | 58.6 ± 8.3 |
| Men | 1252 (51.4%) | 477 (58.8%) | 414 (51.2%) | 453 (55.7%) |
| Educational status | ||||
| Low | 801 (32.9%) | 269 (33.2%) | 266 (32.9%) | 266 (32.7%) |
| Medium | 707 (29.0%) | 230 (28.4%) | 242 (29.9%) | 235 (28.9%) |
| High | 926 (38.0%) | 312 (38.5%) | 301 (37.2%) | 313 (38.5%) |
| Occupational statusa | ||||
| Low | 654 (32.2%) | 201 (29.6%) | 212 (32.1%) | 241 (35.0%) |
| Middle | 701 (34.6%) | 233 (34.3%) | 242 (36.7%) | 226 (32.8%) |
| High | 673 (33.2%) | 245 (36.1%) | 216 (31.2%) | 222 (32.2%) |
| Income per month, eurosa | 2016.8 ± 814.0 | 2084 ± 831 | 2007 ± 789 | 1959 ± 818 |
| Lifestyle factors | ||||
| Smoking status | ||||
| Never | 817 (33.6%) | 255 (31.4%) | 276 (34.1%) | 286 (35.1%) |
| Former | 1302 (53.5%) | 467 (57.6%) | 432 (53.4%) | 403 (49.5%) |
| Current | 315 (12.9%) | 89 (11.0%) | 101 (12.5%) | 125 (15.4%) |
| Alcohol consumption | ||||
| None | 440 (18.1%) | 131 (16.2%) | 135 (16.7%) | 174 (21.4%) |
| Low (women ≤7, men ≤14) | 1368 (56.2%) | 441 (54.4%) | 480 (59.3%) | 447 (54.9%) |
| High (women >7, men >14) | 626 (25.7%) | 239 (29.5%) | 194 (24.0%) | 193 (23.7%) |
| Physical activity, h/daya | 2.0 ± 0.7 | 1.9 [1.5–2.5] | 2.0 [1.5–2.4] | 1.9 [1.5–2.4] |
| Dutch Healthy diet score, points | 83.6 ± 14.6 | 82.8 ± 14.4 | 84.4 ± 14.4 | 83.7 ± 14.8 |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | ||||
| Glucose metabolism status | ||||
| Normal glucose metabolism | 1364 (56.0%) | 429 (52.9%) | 470 (58.1%) | 465 (57.1%) |
| Prediabetes | 357 (14.7%) | 130 (16.0%) | 119 (14.7%) | 108 (13.3%) |
| Type 2 diabetes | 684 (28.1%) | 238 (29.3%) | 212 (26.2%) | 234 (28.7%) |
| Other types of diabetes | 29 (1.2%) | 14 (1.7%) | 8 (1.0%) | 7 (0.9%) |
| Fasting plasma glucose, mmol/La | 5.6 [5.1–6.5] | 5.6 [5.1–6.7] | 5.5 [5.1–6.4] | 5.5 [5.0–6.5] |
| 2‐h post‐load plasma glucose, mmol/La | 6.2 [5.1–9.4] | 6.5 [5.2–9.7] | 6.2 [5.1–9.1] | 6.1 [4.9–9.5] |
| HbA1c, %a | 5.7 [5.4–6.2] | 5.7 [5.4–6.3] | 5.7 [5.4–6.2] | 5.6 [5.4–6.2] |
| HbA1c, mmol/mola | 39 [36–44] | 39 [36–45] | 39 [36–44] | 38 [36–44] |
| Glucose lowering medication | 568 (23.3%) | 201 (24.8%) | 179 (22.1%) | 188 (23.1%) |
| Waist circumference, cm | 27.0 ± 4.5 | 27.0 ± 4.3 | 27.0 ± 4.3 | 27.1 ± 4.8 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 a | 27.0 ± 4.5 | 27.0 ± 4.3 | 27.0 ± 4.3 | 27.1 ± 4.8 |
| History of cardiovascular diseasea | 405 (16.7%) | 139 (17.3%) | 124 (15.4%) | 142 (17.6%) |
| eGFR, ml/min/1.73 m2 a | 88.3 ± 14.8 | 87.9 ± 14.9 | 88.7 ± 14.3 | 88.3 ± 15.2 |
| Albuminuria, mg/24 ha | 6.6 [4.0–11.8] | 7.2 [4.4–13.4] | 6.3 [3.8–11.3] | 6.2 [3.8–10.7] |
| Total‐to‐HDL cholesterol ratio | 3.6 ± 1.2 | 3.6 ± 1.2 | 3.6 ± 1.2 | 3.6 ± 1.1 |
| Triglycerides, mmol/L | 1.2 [0.9–1.7] | 1.2 [0.9–1.7] | 1.2 [0.9–1.7] | 1.2 [0.9–1.7] |
| Use of lipid‐modifying medication | 910 (37.4%) | 341 (42.0%) | 279 (34.5%) | 290 (35.6%) |
| Office systolic BP, mmHga | 134.1 ± 18.2 | 138.7 ± 18.3 | 134.2 ± 17.5 | 131.6 ± 18.0 |
| Office diastolic BP, mmHga | 76.2 ± 10.0 | 78.1 ± 10.1 | 76.1 ± 9.7 | 74.2 ± 9.7 |
| Mean arterial pressure, mmHg | 96.5 ± 10.2 | 98.9 ±10.4 | 96.4 ± 9.9 | 94.3 ± 9.7 |
| 24‐h mean arterial pressure, mmHga | 88.6 ± 8.0 | 90.5 ± 8.2 | 88.5 ± 7.8 | 86.7 ± 7.4 |
| Heart rate, bpm | 62.6 ± 9.4 | 62.6 ± 9.5 | 62.5 ± 9.1 | 62.7 ± 9.6 |
| Use of antihypertensive medication | 974 (40.0%) | 354 (43.6%) | 322 (39.8%) | 298 (36.6%) |
| Inflammation markersa | ||||
| C‐reactive protein, µg/ml | 1.3 [0.6–2.7] | 1.3 [0.6–2.6] | 1.2 [0.6–2.7] | 1.3 [0.6–2.9] |
| Serum amyloid A, µg/ml | 3.3 [2.1–5.4] | 3.2 [2.2–5.5] | 3.3 [2.0–5.6] | 3.4 [2.0–5.5] |
| Tumor necrosis factor α, pg/ml | 2.2 [1.9–2.6] | 2.2 [1.9–2.6] | 2.2 [1.9–2.5] | 2.2 [1.9–2.6] |
| Interleukin‐6, pg/ml | 0.6 [0.4–0.9] | 0.6 [0.4–0.9] | 0.6 [0.4–0.9] | 0.6 [0.4–0.9] |
| Interleukin‐8, pg/ml | 4.1 [3.3–5.3] | 4.2 [3.4–5.4] | 4.1 [3.2–5.2] | 4.0 [3.3–5.2] |
| Eye variables | ||||
| Retinopathya | 38 (1.7%) | 13 (1.7%) | 13 (1.7%) | 12 (1.6%) |
| Glaucomaa | 114 (5.2%) | 46 (5.7%) | 40 (4.9%) | 28 (3.4%) |
| Refractive errora | ||||
| Right eye | 0.1 [−1.5 to 1.1] | 0.0 [−2.0 to 1.0] | 0.1 [−1.50 to 1.1] | 0.1 [−1.0 to 1.3] |
| Left eye | 0.1 [−1.4 to 1.1] | −0.1 [−2.3 to 0.9] | 0.13 [−1.4 to 1.13] | 0.3 [−1.0 to 1.3] |
| Arterial stiffness | ||||
| cfPWV, m/sb | 9.0 ± 2.1 | 9.3 ± 2.2 | 8.9 ± 2.0 | 8.8 ± 2.1 |
| Carotid DC, 10−3/kPa | 14.5 ± 5.12 | 13.9 ± 5.1 | 14.3 ± 4.9 | 15.2 ± 5.4 |
| Carotid YEM, 103/kPaa | 0.73 ± 0.34 | 0.77 ± 0.35 | 0.75 ± 0.33 | 0.70 ± 0.33 |
| Retinal microvascular function | ||||
| Arteriolar diameter (CRAE), µm | 142.2 ± 20.4 | 120.2 ± 10.9 | 141.9 ± 5.2 | 164.6 ± 10.7 |
| Venular diameter (CRVE), µm | 214.4 ± 31.1 | 190.9 ± 24.5 | 213.1 ± 21.6 | 239.2 ± 25.7 |
| Arteriole‐to‐venule ratio (AVR), no unit | 0.67 ± 0.08 | 0.64 ± 0.08 | 0.67 ± 0.07 | 0.69 ± 0.07 |
| Arteriolar flicker light‐induced dilation, %c | 3.0 ± 2.8 | 3.2 ± 2.9 | 3.1 ± 2.8 | 2.8 ± 2.8 |
| Venular flicker light‐induced dilation, %c | 3.9 ± 2.2 | 3.9 ± 2.3 | 3.8 ± 2.1 | 4.0 ± 2.4 |
Data presented as mean ± standard deviation, median [interquartile range], or number (%).
Abbreviations: AVR, arterio‐to‐venule ratio; BP, blood pressure; carotid DC, carotid distensibility coefficient; carotid YEM, carotid Young elastic modulus; cfPWV, carotid ‐femoral pulse wave velocity; CRAE, central retinal arteriolar equivalent; CRVE, central retinal venular equivalent; eGFR; estimated glomerular filtration rate; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL, high‐density lipoprotein.
Data available for occupational status, n = 2028; income level, n = 1841; body mass index, n = 2433; physical activity, n = 1946; Dutch healthy diet score, n = 2314; fasting plasma glucose, n = 2433; 2‐h post‐load plasma glucose, n = 2249; HbA1c, n = 2429; history of cardiovascular disease, n = 2418; eGFR, n = 2416; albuminuria, n = 2415; office systolic and diastolic blood pressure, n = 2432; 24‐h mean arterial pressure, n = 2169; inflammation markers, n = 2411; retinopathy, n = 2254; glaucoma, n = 2211; refractive error right eye, n = 2237, refractive error left eye n = 2229; carotid YEM, n = 2432.
Value shown for cfPWV study population with complete retinal arteriolar diameter data.
Value shown for carotid stiffness population with complete arteriolar or venular dilation data.