Table 1 Characteristics of the participants by sex

Age (years)

55.4 ± 9.1

53.5 ± 8.9

0.001

Body mass index (kg/m²)

24.7 ± 3.1

23.6 ± 3.2

 < 0.001

Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

128.6 ± 16.7

123.5 ± 19.3

 < 0.001

Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

85.8 ± 10.2

80.6 ± 10.3

 < 0.001

Heart rate (beats/minute)

71.3 ± 9.5

74.5 ± 9.9

 < 0.001

Current smoking, n (%)

267 (65.6)

1 (0.2)

 < 0.001

Alcohol intake, n (%)

225 (55.3)

28 (4.5)

 < 0.001

Hypertension, n (%)

209 (51.4)

219 (35.2)

 < 0.001

Diabetes mellitus, n (%)

39 (9.6)

41 (6.6)

0.08

Taking antihypertensive drugs, n (%)

118 (29.0)

121 (19.4)

 < 0.001

Taking antihyperglycemic drugs, n (%)

17 (4.2)

18 (2.9)

0.26

Plasma glucose (mmol/L)

5.57 ± 1.53

5.32 ± 1.10

0.005

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.80 ± 0.89

4.98 ± 1.03

0.003

HDL cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.43 ± 0.32

1.61 ± 0.33

 < 0.001

LDL cholesterol (mmol/L)

2.86 ± 0.73

2.91 ± 0.74

0.33

Triglyceride (mmol/L)

1.46 (0.99–2.38)

1.34 (0.99–1.91)

0.002

Serum creatinine (μmol/L)

76.5 ± 11.3

58.7 ± 9.3

 < 0.001

Brachial ankle PWV (m/s)

15.6 ± 2.6

15.0 ± 2.5

0.001

Arterial stiffness, n (%)

223 (54.8)

289 (46.4)

0.008

Immunoglobulin type M (g/L)

0.97 (0.70–1.31)

1.26 (0.92–1.70)

 < 0.001