Table 1 The baseline demographics, clinical characteristics and biochemical variables between the two groups

 Age (Y)

61.6 ± 13.2

60.5 ± 11.7

 Sex (Male, %)

80(75.5%)

54(47%)

 Systolic blood pressure

151.5 ± 21

133.7 ± 17.3

 Diastolic blood pressure

87 ± 14.2

80.1 ± 12.3

 Hypertension

66(62.3%)

75(65.2%)

 Diabetes mellitus

33(31.1%)

26(22.6%)

 Coronary disease

11(10.4%)

16(13.9%)

 Prior stroke

26(24.5%)

5(4.3%)

 Hyperlipidaemia

79(74.5)

31(27%)

 Atrial fibrillation

2(2.3%)

2(6.7%)

 Peripheral arterial disease

6(5.7%)

3(2.6%)

 Smoking

60(56.6%)

45(39.1%)

 White blood cell (10⁹/L)

7.1 ± 2.1

6.9 ± 2.1

 Red blood cell (10¹²/L)

4.6 ± 0.6

4.6 ± 0.6

 Platelet (10⁹/L)

210.8 ± 92.6

221.7 ± 55.7

 Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.4 ± 0.9

4.3 ± 0.8

 Low-density lipoprotein (mmol/L)

2.7 ± 0.8

2.4 ± 0.8

 High-density lipoprotein (mmol/L)

1.1 ± 0.3

1.1 ± 0.3

 Uric acid(μmol/L)

329.8 ± 87.9

330.3 ± 95.9

 Homocysteine(μmol/L)

18.9 ± 10.5

18 ± 12.3

 Fasting blood glucose (mmol/L)

5.9 ± 1.8

5.6 ± 1.3

 Hemoglobin A1c (%)

6.4 ± 1.4

6.3 ± 1.2

 Glycated albumin(%)

13.8 ± 2.4

17.5 ± 3.8

 Fibrinogen(mg/dl)

268.5 ± 82.2

271.8 ± 87.3

 C-reactive protein (mg/L)

2.05(1.2~4.0)

2.25(0.89~4.56)

 25-hydroxy vitamin D (ng/mL)

10.2 ± 5.6

14.6 ± 7.5

 Albumin (g/L)

42.1 ± 4.4

42.5 ± 4.8