TABLE 2.
Clinical characteristics of the study population based on the total MRI burden of CSVD.
| Variables | Mild burden (n = 86) | Moderate to severe burden (n = 65) | P-value |
| Age, y; mean ± SD | 61.3 ± 8.7 | 67.4 ± 7.2 | <0.001 |
| Male, n (%) | 43 (50.0) | 31 (47.7) | 0.779 |
| Vascular risk factors at baseline | |||
| Smoking, n (%) | 17 (19.8) | 23 (35.4) | 0.031 |
| Alcohol consumption, n (%) | 11 (12.8) | 18 (27.7) | 0.021 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 44 (51.2) | 52 (80.0) | <0.001 |
| Duration of diabetes, years, median (IQR) | 10 (6, 17) | 12 (6.5, 20.5) | 0.113 |
| Previous stroke, n (%) | 7 (8.1) | 21 (32.3) | <0.001 |
| Coronary heart disease, n (%) | 4 (4.7) | 4 (6.2) | 0.726 |
| Carotid artery plaques, n (%) | 47 (54.7) | 52 (80.0) | 0.001 |
| Systolic BP, mmHg, mean ± SD | 133 ± 18 | 141 ± 21 | 0.008 |
| Diastolic BP, mmHg, mean ± SD | 77 ± 11 | 78 ± 10 | 0.741 |
| BMI, kg/m2, mean ± SD | 24.05 ± 3.12 | 23.90 ± 3.61 | 0.781 |
| Laboratory test | |||
| Fasting glucose, mmol//L, median (IQR) | 7.78 (6.47, 9.89) | 9.37 (7.47, 12.77) | 0.005 |
| HbA1c, %, median (IQR) | 8.10 (7.0, 9.68) | 9.40 (8.05, 10.90) | <0.001 |
| Total cholesterol, mmol//L, mean ± SD | 4.47 ± 1.17 | 4.28 ± 1.30 | 0.350 |
| Triglycerides, mmol//L, mean ± SD | 1.83 ± 1.12 | 1.79 ± 1.25 | 0.846 |
| LDL-C, mmol//L, mean ± SD | 2.48 ± 0.75 | 2.36 ± 0.83 | 0.475 |
| HDL-C, mmol//L, mean ± SD | 1.11 ± 0.32 | 1.02 ± 0.28 | 0.086 |
| Serum creatinine, μmol//L, mean ± SD | 60.95 ± 19.46 | 74.54 ± 30.93 | 0.001 |
| Urinary microalbumin/creatinine ratio, mg/g, median (IQR) | 11.80 (6.60, 27.58) | 20.50 (9.10, 97.95) | <0.001 |
| Retinal microvascular abnormalities | |||
| DR | <0.001 | ||
| NDR, n (%) | 62 (72.1) | 22 (33.8) | |
| Mild DR, n (%) | 14 (16.3) | 13 (20.0) | |
| More than mild DR, n (%) | 10 (11.6) | 30 (46.2) | |
| CRAE, μm, mean ± SD | 109.45 ± 7.93 | 105.24 ± 8.42 | 0.002 |
| CRVE, μm, mean ± SD | 193.95 ± 13.54 | 201.67 ± 16.25 | 0.002 |
| AVR, mean ± SD | 0.57 ± 0.04 | 0.52 ± 0.05 | <0.001 |
DR, diabetic retinopathy; NDR, no diabetic retinopathy; SD, standard deviation; IQR, interquartile range; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; CRAE, Central Retinal Arterial Equivalent; CRVE, Central Retinal Venous Equivalent; AVR, arteriole-to-venule ratio; CSVD, cerebral small vessel disease.