Table 3.
NOX4 expression and effects of cardio-metabolic therapies. NOX4 expression was analyzed by qPCR and data were normalized to an internal control (=1). Expression was divided into low and high, depending on the mean. Data were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression using a high NOX4 as a variable in response to different prescribed medical therapies. Unadjusted values were obtained by pairwise comparison of each variable listed in the table with the outcome of high or low NOX4 expression. The ORs for the medical therapies refers to the chance for increased NOX4 expression when the patient received the indicated therapy as compared without (ref = none). Adjusted ORs for the chance of high versus low NOX4 account for the effects of the other indicated therapies by holding the effects of the other cardio-metabolic therapies constant and assuming yes or no intake. In the adjusted ORs, a clear reversion of chances was seen for anticoagulation, statins, ARBs and diabetes treatment. This is most likely due to Simpson's paradox by confounding with other medical therapies. Treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) includes patients with prescription of biguanides, sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1-RA)/glucagon-like-peptide-1 receptor antagonists, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4)-inhibitors and sulfonylureas. Abbreviations: ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; ARBs, angiotensin receptor blocker; ASA, acetylsalicylic acid; CCBs, calcium channel blockers; CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; ref, reference, T2D, type 2 diabetes mellitus.
| Variable | OR, unadjusted | p-value | OR, adjusted | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anticoagulation (ref = none) | 1.11 [0.38, 3.12] | 1 | 0.67 [0.17, 2.66] | 0.574 |
| ASA (ref = none) | 0.72 [0.24, 2.24] | 0.684 | 0.53 [0.11, 2.68] | 0.445 |
| β-blocker (ref = none) | 1.36 [0.52, 3.60] | 0.636 | 1.46 [0.46, 4.63] | 0.525 |
| CCBs (ref = none) | 2.05 [0.75, 5.56] | 0.175 | 1.89 [0.62, 5.73] | 0.262 |
| ARBs (ref = none) | 1.35 [0.49, 3.64] | 0.678 | 0.73 [0.19, 2.84] | 0.649 |
| ACE (ref = none) | 0.85 [0.31, 2.30] | 0.910 | 0.40 [0.10, 1.64] | 0.201 |
| Diuretics (ref = none) | 2.04 [0.74, 5.61] | 0.189 | 1.17 [0.36, 3.80] | 0.800 |
| Statins (ref = none) | 1.69 [0.41,10.11] | 0.644 | 3.62 [0.50, 26.38] | 0.205 |
| T2D treatment (ref = none) | 3.14 [1.14, 8.78] | 0.023 | 1.13 [0.33, 3.83] | 0.844 |
| Insulin (ref = none) | 10.41 [2.31,65.79] | <0.001 | 13.82 [2.27, 84.15] | 0.004 |