Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants

Age (years)

62 ± 9

61 ± 10

0.669

Sex (male/female, n/n)

45/28

51/28

0.305/0.553

Weight (kg)

86 ± 16

87 ± 21

0.885

BMI (kg/m²)

31 ± 5

30 ± 6

0.732

Ethnicity, n (%)

 European

46 (63)

57 (72)

0.162

 Indian

14 (19)

11 (14)

0.345

 Far Eastern

3 (4)

6 (8)

0.254

 African

8 (11)

3 (4)

0.113

 Hispanic

1 (1)

2 (3)

0.500

 Native American

1 (1)

0 (0)

0.500

Smokers, n (%)

2 (3)

8 (10)

0.055

Glucose (mmol/l)

7.56 ± 1.52

7.64 ± 1.75

0.767

HbA_1c (%)

7.03 ± 0.46

7.17 ± 0.57

0.100

 No. participants <7

36

29

0.229

 No. participants ≥7

37

50

0.099

Total cholesterol (mmol/l)

4.24 ± 0.75

4.18 ± 0.95

0.661

LDL-cholesterol (mmol/l)

2.48 ± 0.64

2.47 ± 0.89

0.934

HDL-cholesterol (mmol/l)

1.14 ± 0.28

1.06 ± 0.31

0.103

TG (mmol/l)

1.36 ± 0.71

1.42 ± 0.79

0.643

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

128 ± 14

127 ± 16

0.727

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

74 ± 9

73 ± 10

0.846

Duration of diabetes (years)

7 ± 6

9 ± 7

0.062

Hypoglycaemic agents, n (%)

73 (100)

77 (97)

0.403

 Thiazolidinedione

25 (34)

25 (32)

0.556

 Biguanide

58 (79)

63 (80)

0.358

 Sulfonylurea

29 (40)

49 (62)

0.015

 Meglitinides (non-sulfonylurea)

2 (3)

1 (1)

0.500

 Alpha glucosidase inhibitors

2 (3)

3 (4)

0.500

Cholesterol-lowering medications, n (%)

46 (63)

55 (70)

0.539

Blood pressure medications, n (%)

52 (71)

52 (66)

0.213