Table 1 Characteristics of the study groups

Number

114

122

Age. year

47.94 ± 13.17

49.11 ± 12.68

0.45

Male gender, % (no.)

12.28% (n = 14)

10.65% (n = 13)

0.94

Current smokers,% (no.)

14.03% (n = 16)

15.57% (n = 19)

0.47

Presence of diabetes,% (no)

5.26% (n = 6)

2.45% (n = 3)

0.22

Presence of hypertension, % (no.)

57.89% (n = 66)

26.22% (n = 32)

<0.001

LDL>3 mmol/L,% (no.)

27.19% (n = 31)

44.26% (n = 54)

0.006

Current statins,% (no.)

10.52% (n = 12)

4.09% (n = 5)

0.048

Total cholesterol, mmol/L

4.7 ± 1.1

4.8 ± 1.0

0.23

LDL, mmol/L

2.5 ± 0.88

2.8 ± 0.80

0.026

HDL, mmol/L

1.6 (1.3 to 1.8)

1.6 (1.3 to 1.9)

0.31

Triglycerides, mmol/L

0.99 (0.7 to 1.4)

0.78 (0.55 to 1.10)

0.003

CRP, mg/L

4.44 (0.8 to 4.8)

2.04(0.5 to 2.5)

<0.001

Apolipoprotein E

42.69 ± 14.7

38.84 ± 12.05

0.033

ApoB/ApoA1

0.55 (0.50 to 0.70)

0.60 (0.50 to 0.70)

0.39

BMI (kg/m2)

24.89 (20.96 to 27.85)

24.67 (22.41 to 27.82)

0.58

HOMA IR

1.34 (0.80 to 1.96)

1.05 (0.69 to 1.48)

0.011

IgM antiPC. U/ml

61.28 (36.44 to 176.06)

93.74 (52.90 to 134.22)

0.025

IgG antiPC. U/ml

9.36 (5.45 to 14.76)

7.45 (4.62 to 11.66)

0.0083

IgM antiPC < = 10^th percentile (%)

16.5%

2.8%

< = 0.0005

IgM antiPC < = 25^th percentile (%)

32.1%

17.9

0.016

IgM antiPC < = 33th percentile (%)

42.0%

22.6%

0.0022