Table 1 Main clinical characteristics of the 201 study patients, and comparison between the two study sub-groups classified according to the evidence of myocardial ischemia at the echo exercise test

Age (years)

65 ± 9

66 ± 9

0.50

65 ± 10

Female gender (%)

35

20

0.07

32

Obesity (%)

28

15

0.12

26

Waist circumference (cm)

94 ± 11

93 ± 11

0.16

94 ± 11

Hypertension (%)

46

42

0.72

45

Dyslipidemia (%)

49

45

0.68

48

Active smoker, %

12

12

0.97

12

Diabetes (%)

46

52

0.55

47

Diabetes + hypertension (%)

35

30

0.64

34

Systolic Blood Pressure (mmHg)

140 ± 18

147 ± 23

0.01

141 ± 19

Diastolic Blood Pressure (mmHg)

80 ± 9

81 ± 11

0.35

80 ± 9

Heart Rate (beats/minute)

70 ± 11

67 ± 12

0.11

69 ± 11

Glycemia (mg/dl)

134 ± 59

131 ± 53

0.89

133 ± 58

HbA1c (%) ^a

7.6 ± 1.4

7.5 ± 1.5

0.88

7.6 ± 1.5

Hemoglobin (gr/dl)

14.3 ± 1.5

14.5 ± 1.5

0.73

14.3 ± 1.5

GFR (ml/min/1.73 m²)

81 ± 8

74 ± 10

0.78

80 ± 24

LDL Cholesterol (mg/dl)

110 [92–132]

95 [81–130]

0.75

106 [83–129]

Triglycerides (mg/dl)

162 [118–218]

145 [89–200]

0.10

157 [99–192]

Macroalbuminuria (>300 mg/g) (%)

22

11

0.47

20

Pharmacological treatment

Betablockers (%)

21

39

0.02

24

ACEi / ARB (%)

46

42

0.67

46

Diuretics (%)

17

18

0.90

17

Calcium antagonists (%)

17

3

0.04

15

Anti-hypertension medications ^b

1.1 ± 1.1

1.1 ± 1.2

0.95

1.1 ± 1.1

Anti-platelets agents (%)

38

58

0.04

41

Statins (%)

40

45

0.60

41

Metformin (%) ^a

40

39

0.94

40

Other oral anti-diabetic drugs (%)

20

20

0.97

20

Insulin (%)

16

12

0.70

16