Table 1 Baseline characteristics of diabetic patients with CKD stratified by DR severity groups. Patients with more severe DR (Group 3) were significantly younger, had higher blood pressure, higher prevalence of HF, and lower eGFR compared to those with less severe DR.

Baseline demographic

Age (year), mean ± SD

63.9 ± 10.8

60.1 ± 10.8

58.1 ± 11.0

< 0.001

Male Gender, n (%)

644 (62.5%)

102 (58.6%)

167 (56%)

0.112

Smoker, n (%)

162.0 (15.7%)

33.0 (19.0%)

54.0 (18.1%)

0.409

Body Mass Index (BMI) (kg/m²), mean ± SD

26.8 ± 4.5

26.6 ± 4.5

26.1 ± 4.2

0.236

Systolic Blood Pressure (mmHg), mean ± SD

140.1 ± 20.7

147.3 ± 23.2

150.2 ± 22.3

< 0.001

Diastolic Blood Pressure (mmHg), mean ± SD

77.6 ± 11.9

80.7 ± 14.3

81.0 ± 12.6

0.001

Comorbidities

Hypertension, n (%)

957 (92.8%)

167 (96.0%)

288 (96.6%)

0.025

Congestive heart failure, n (%)

96.0 (9.3%)

23.0 (13.2%)

42.0 (14.1%)

0.033

Coronary artery disease, n (%)

187.0 (18.1%)

32.0 (18.4%)

55.0 (18.5%)

0.990

Hyperlipidemia, n (%)

520.0 (50.4%)

67.0 (38.5%)

156.0 (52.3%)

0.008

Medications

Statin, n (%)

546 (53.0%)

83 (47.7%)

177 (59.4%)

0.036

Diuretics, n (%)

299.0 (29.0%)

62.0 (35.6%)

127.0 (42.6%)

< 0.001

Laboratory data

HbA1c (%)

7.2 (1.3)

7.9 (1.8)

7.6 (1.5)

< 0.001

High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (mg/dl)

41.2 ± 11.1

40.4 ± 11.4

42.3 ± 11.9

0.219

Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (mg/dl)

93.7 ± 26.0

100.6 ± 38.8

98.9 ± 29.9

0.001

Estimated glomerular filtration rate*

(mL/min/1.73 m2), mean ± SD

39.5 ± 21.6

39.1 ± 26.3

32.7 ± 21.9

< 0.001

Chronic kidney disease stage

< 0.001

Stage 1 + 2

163 (15.9%)

35 (20.1%)

35 (11.9%)

Stage 3

485 (47.3%)

57 (32.8%)

101 (34.5%)

Stage 4

243 (23.7%)

43 (24.7%)

71 (24.2%)

Stage 5

135 (13.2%)

39 (22.4%)

86 (29.4%)