Table 2.
Study population characteristics stratified by bone marrow activation (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake) quintile
| BM-uptake Q1 | BM-uptake Q2 | BM-uptake Q3 | BM-uptake Q4 | BM-uptake Q5 | P for trend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (n = 149) | (n = 149) | (n = 149) | (n = 149) | (n = 149) | ||
| Mean BM SUVmax | 0.57–1.6 | 1.6–1.81 | 1.81–2.0 | 2.0–2.3 | 2.3–3.8 | |
| Age, years | 50.0 (46.7–53.0) | 51.7 (47.5–54.3) | 49.9 (45.6–52.8) | 50.5 (47.0–53.8) | 50.9 (47.1–53.8) | 0.431 |
| Men | 105 (70.5) | 128 (85.9) | 128 (85.9) | 134 (89.9) | 129 (86.6) | <0.001 |
| Metabolic syndrome and components | ||||||
| Metabolic syndrome | 7 (4.7) | 12 (8.1) | 20 (13.4) | 18 (12.1) | 50 (33.6) | <0.001 |
| Central obesity | 11 (7.4) | 16 (10.7) | 27 (18.1) | 40 (26.8) | 98 (65.8) | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides, mg/dL | 81 (61–113) | 96 (72–128) | 101 (68–128) | 103 (73–133) | 107 (88–147) | <0.001 |
| HDL-C, mg/dL | 50.8 ± 12.5 | 46.3 ± 11.3 | 47.0 ± 10.6 | 45.5 ± 10.7 | 42.8 ± 10.2 | <0.001 |
| Fasting glucose, mg/dL | 87 (83–92) | 90 (83–95) | 91 (84–98) | 93 (88–97) | 94 (87–101) | <0.001 |
| SBP, mmHg | 117.6 ± 12.4 | 119.8 ± 11.6 | 120.5 ± 11.3 | 121.2 ± 11.8 | 123.5 ± 13.5 | <0.001 |
| DBP, mmHg | 73.1 ± 9.1 | 74.3 ± 8.1 | 75.1 ± 7.9 | 75.4 ± 9.2 | 78.6 ± 10.1 | <0.001 |
| Other cardiovascular risk factors | ||||||
| Family history of CV disease | 28 (18.8) | 26 (17.4) | 30 (20.1) | 38 (25.5) | 32 (21.5) | 0.201 |
| Current smoking | 47 (32.2) | 45 (30.6) | 31 (21.2) | 32 (22.1) | 42 (28.6) | 0.176 |
| Hypertension | 21 (14.1) | 25 (16.8) | 24 (16.1) | 30 (20.1) | 43 (28.9) | 0.001 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 67 (45.0) | 91 (61.1) | 88 (59.1) | 98 (65.8) | 96 (64.4) | 0.001 |
| Diabetes | 4 (2.7) | 2 (1.3) | 11 (7.4) | 6 (4.0) | 11 (7.4) | 0.026 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 24.7 ± 3.0 | 25.9 ± 2.5 | 26.7 ± 2.7 | 28.1 ± 2.7 | 30.5 ± 3.2 | <0.001 |
| Weight, kg | 71.9 ± 12.1 | 77.3 ± 10.1 | 79.6 ± 10.6 | 85.2 ± 10.9 | 93.1 ± 12.0 | <0.001 |
| Waist circumference, cm | 85.7 ± 10.0 | 90.7 ± 8.9 | 92.9 ± 8.5 | 96.7 ± 8.5 | 103.0 ± 9.5 | <0.001 |
| Treatment | ||||||
| Antihypertensive therapy | 16 (10.7) | 15 (10.1) | 18 (12.1) | 21 (14.1) | 30 (20.1) | 0.010 |
| Lipid-lowering therapy | 14 (9.4) | 20 (13.4) | 25 (16.8) | 32 (21.5) | 22 (14.8) | 0.043 |
| Antidiabetic therapy | 3 (2.0) | 1 (0.7) | 11 (7.4) | 5 (3.4) | 8 (5.4) | 0.057 |
| Biochemistry | ||||||
| Total cholesterol, mg/dL | 205.8 ± 30.3 | 209.3 ± 34.2 | 210.0 ± 31.2 | 210.8 ± 36.4 | 205.6 ± 35.1 | 0.837 |
| LDL-C, mg/dL | 136.4 ± 28.3 | 141.2 ± 29.9 | 141.9 ± 27.0 | 142.3 ± 32.9 | 137.5 ± 31.8 | 0.583 |
| HbA1c, % | 5.4 (5.2–5.6) | 5.4 (5.1–5.6) | 5.5 (5.2–5.7) | 5.5 (5.2–5.8) | 5.5 (5.3–5.7) | 0.005 |
| HOMA-IR, % | 0.9 (0.6–1.3) | 1.2 (0.8–1.9) | 1.2 (0.8–1.9) | 1.5 (1.0–2.1) | 2.0 (1.3–2.9) | <0.001 |
| Insulin, µU/mL | 4.0 (2.8–5.8) | 5.1 (3.8–7.5) | 5.3 (3.8–7.5) | 6.3 (4.3–8.6) | 8.2 (6.0–11.5) | <0.001 |
| Inflammatory markers | ||||||
| hs-CRP, mg/dL | 0.07 (0.04–0.13) | 0.10 (0.05–0.18) | 0.10 (0.05–0.20) | 0.12 (0.07–0.21) | 0.15 (0.08–0.28) | <0.001 |
| Ferritin, ng/mLa | 90.2 (40.9–152.4) | 127.7 (71.3–198.5) | 122.4 (69.0–224.6) | 137.5 (74.5–200.2) | 154.9 (81.6–253.0) | <0.001 |
| Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (1 h), mm | 5 (4–8) | 5 (4–7) | 5 (4–7) | 6 (4–8) | 6 (4–8) | 0.277 |
| Fibrinogen, mg/dL | 255.4 (230.1–286.6) | 266.2 (236.5–296.1) | 265.7 (235.3–294.6) | 264.4 (239.9–299.2) | 277.2 (249.8–302.8) | 0.001 |
| P-selectin, ng/mL | 125.0 (102.8–156.1) | 130.5 (105.9–166.2) | 135.6 (106.9–166.7) | 135.3 (106.7–167.2) | 144.1 (115.4–180.5) | 0.002 |
| VCAM-1, ng/mL | 615.3 (503.8–777.6) | 625.1 (499.1–790.5) | 681.2 (530.4–859.5) | 674.0 (518.6–849.0) | 680.8 (555.1–821.7) | 0.027 |
| Blood count | ||||||
| Leucocytes, 103 cells/µL | 5.59 (4.91–6.72) | 5.93 (4.95–7.07) | 5.80 (4.91–6.75) | 5.98 (5.17–7.13) | 6.20 (5.35–7.48) | 0.001 |
| Leucocytosis (>10.5 × 103 cells/µL) | 0 (0) | 5 (3.4) | 4 (2.7) | 4 (2.7) | 4 (2.7) | 0.225 |
| Red blood cell count, 106 cells/µL | 4.71 (4.38–4.99) | 4.83 (4.60–5.05) | 4.85 (4.59–5.05) | 4.90 (4.67–5.10) | 4.90 (4.65–5.15) | <0.001 |
| Red cell distribution width, % | 14.6 (14.0–15.2) | 14.6 (14.0–15.2) | 14.5 (13.9–15.1) | 14.7 (13.9–15.2) | 14.8 (14.2–15.2) | 0.089 |
| Haemoglobin, g/dL | 14.7 (13.8–15.3) | 15.1 (14.4–15.7) | 15.0 (14.2–15.6) | 15.1 (14.6–15.8) | 15.2 (14.5–15.8) | <0.001 |
| Haematocrit, % | 43.0 (40.9–45.6) | 44.5 (41.9–46.4) | 44.2 (41.7–46.0) | 44.6 (42.9–46.6) | 44.6 (42.8–46.7) | <0.001 |
| Platelets, 103 cells/µL | 228 (199–253) | 224 (196–256) | 222 (196–259) | 227 (200–257) | 222 (193–262) | 0.831 |
| Segmented neutrophils, 103 cell/µL | 3.13 (2.60–3.77) | 3.34 (2.72–4.26) | 3.19 (2.71–3.92) | 3.48 (2.61–4.42) | 3.48 (2.97–4.50) | 0.001 |
| Lymphocytes, 103 cells/µL | 1.83 (1.62–2.16) | 1.86 (1.55–2.17) | 1.86 (1.54–2.23) | 1.82 (1.55–2.22) | 1.91 (1.64–2.28) | 0.136 |
| Monocytes, 103 cells/µL | 0.39 (0.32–0.49) | 0.41 (0.33–0.53) | 0.41 (0.33–0.50) | 0.42 (0.35–0.51) | 0.43 (0.35–0.53) | 0.019 |
| Eosinophils, 103 cells/µL | 0.12 (0.08–0.20) | 0.12 (0.08–0.20) | 0.12 (0.07–0.21) | 0.13 (0.08–0.19) | 0.14 (0.09–0.23) | 0.361 |
| Basophils, 103 cells/µL | 0.05 (0.03–0.07) | 0.05 (0.03–0.06) | 0.04 (0.03–0.06) | 0.05 (0.03–0.06) | 0.05 (0.03–0.07) | 0.128 |
| Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio | 1.66 (1.37–2.15) | 1.81 (1.46–2.25) | 1.74 (1.37–2.30) | 1.82 (1.42–2.45) | 1.88 (1.51–2.27) | 0.048 |
| SCORE risk score | ||||||
| Low (<1%) | 106 (72.1) | 88 (59.5) | 102 (73.9) | 82 (57.8) | 81 (57.9) | 0.003 |
| Intermediate (1–5%) | 41 (27.9) | 60 (40.5) | 35 (25.4) | 59 (41.5) | 59 (42.1) | 0.002 |
| High (>5%) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.7) | 1 (0.7) | 0 (0) | 0.538 |
| ASCVD risk score | ||||||
| Low | 96 (73.8) | 69 (56.1) | 84 (70.0) | 57 (54.3) | 63 (52.5) | 0.001 |
| Intermediate | 17 (13.1) | 24 (19.5) | 18 (15.0) | 22 (20.9) | 28 (23.3) | 0.047 |
| High | 17 (13.1) | 30 (24.4) | 18 (15.0) | 26 (24.8) | 29 (24.2) | 0.040 |
| Arterial uptake (18F-FDG) | ||||||
| Presence of uptake | 37 (24.8) | 59 (39.6) | 73 (49.0) | 82 (55.0) | 107 (71.8) | <0.001 |
| Number of uptakes | 0 (0–0) | 0 (0–1) | 0 (0–1) | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–2) | <0.001 |
| SUVmax arterial uptake | 1.26 (1.14–1.32) | 1.33 (1.24–1.43) | 1.37 (1.27–1.47) | 1.41 (1.32–1.51) | 1.58 (1.46–1.69) | <0.001 |
| Plaques by magnetic resonance | ||||||
| Plaque presence | 127 (85.2) | 136 (91.3) | 138 (92.6) | 134 (89.9) | 136 (91.3) | 0.166 |
| Number of plaques | 3 (1–5) | 3 (2–5) | 3 (2–5) | 3 (2–5) | 3 (2–5) | 0.855 |
| Global plaque burden, mm3 | 348.5 (164.9–669.9) | 362.3 (166.8–699.5) | 370.2 (177.8–688.8) | 372.5 (175.6–753.5) | 371.4 (204.8–753.3) | 0.365 |
Data are presented as n (%) or median (Q1–Q3).
a
Measured in 622 of 745 individuals.