Table 1

Baseline characteristics of patients with MetS and individuals free of MetS

No MetS at baseline (n=192)MetS at baseline (n=147)p Value
Age (years)64.2±10.161.2±9.70.006
Sex (female)65 (33.85%)43 (29.25%)0.367
Hypertension (WHO)78 (40.63%)98 (66.67%)1.98E-06
T2DM (baseline)31 (16.15%)77 (52.38%)1.28E-12
History of smoking106 (55.21%)97 (65.99%)0.045
Coronary artery stenosis >50%112 (58.33%)98 (66.67%)0.117
BMI26±4.128.9±4.24.59E-11
Waist circumference (cm)91.6±10.7101.6±11.43.92E-14
Waist-to-hip ratio0.9±0.11.0±0.12.91E-08
Cholesterol (mmol/L)5.6±15.6±1.20.478
LDL (mmol/L)3.4±0.83.3±0.90.068
HDL (mmol/L)1.4±0.41±0.34.49E-19
Triglycerides (mmol/L)1.4±0.52.5±1.63.18E-22
Glucose (mmol/L)6±1.87.7±2.59.56E-20
HbA1c (%)6±0.86.7±1.42.06E-07
Insulin (µU/mL)9.1±7.616.7±15.52.98E-13
HOMA-IR2.4±2.25.5±4.52.0E-18
Systolic BP130.8±21.1145±214.82E-10
Diastolic BP76.3±12.382.2±12.28.29E-06
CRP0.7±11.1±1.72.65E-05
Serum potassium4.4±0.44.4±0.50.656
Creatinine (mg/dL)1.1±0.51.2±0.70.053
GFR (Mayo)86.6±18.685±21.40.973
T2DM treatment31 (16.15%)77 (52.38%)1.28E-12
Diuretics58 (30.21%)60 (40.82%)0.042
Antihypertensive drugs149 (77.6%)127 (86.39%)0.039
Lipid-lowering drugs90 (46.88%)79 (53.74%)0.210
Plasma sphingolipids
C16SO (µmol/L)15.32±5.3814.19±5.40.022
C16SA (µmol/L)0.45±0.190.5±0.290.220
C17SO (µmol/L)8.13±2.737.22±2.450.002
C18PhytoSO (µmol/L)0.12±0.040.11±0.050.066
C18SAdiene (µmol/L)28.22±7.7126.22±7.880.014
C18SO (µmol/L)94.77±18.4889.79±22.770.019
C18SA (µmol/L)3.21±1.043.66±1.840.065
C19SO (µmol/L)2.88±1.22.65±1.190.043
C20SO (µmol/L)0.17±0.050.18±0.060.039
C20SA (µmol/L)0.02±0.010.03±0.012.81E-04
1-deoxySO (µmol/L)0.15±0.090.21±0.145.65E-06
1-deoxySA (µmol/L)0.07±0.030.09±0.063.26E-05
  • Values are shown as mean±SD for the continuous variables and numbers and per cent of total for the categorical variables. p Values were calculated using the unpaired two-sided t test on the log-transformed continuous variables. For the categorical variables, the p value was calculated using the χ2 test. Variables in bold font have significant differences after the Bonferroni correction (p<0.001).

  • BMI, body mass index; CRP, C reaction protein; GFR (Mayo), Glomerular filtration rate (Mayo equation); Hb, hemoglobin; HbA1c, glycated Hb; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MetS, metabolic syndrome; SA, sphinganine; SO, sphingosine; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus.