Biomarker profiles
| All subjects (N=330) | Cases (n=165) | Controls (n=165) | P value | |
| hsCRP, mg/L | 6.79±9.27 | 7.04±9.99 | 6.52±8.48 | 0.803 |
| Ferritin, ng/mL | 219.31±211.48 | 218.50±212.40 | 220.15±211.30 | 0.581 |
| Iron, µg/dL | 76.38±27.78 | 75.70±29.19 | 77.05±26.40 | 0.308 |
| ALT, mg/dL | 27.40±12.68 | 25.99±10.33 | 28.82±14.56 | 0.167 |
| Potassium, mmol/L | 4.44±0.42 | 4.48±0.39 | 4.40±0.45 | 0.051 |
| Serum creatinine, mg/dL | 0.89±0.22 | 0.90±0.22 | 0.88±0.22 | 0.349 |
| Urinary creatinine, mg/dL | 124.48±67.12 | 121.01±70.50 | 127.94±63.59 | 0.064 |
| Urinary albumin, mg/dL | 11.68±34.32 | 16.02±44.21 | 7.34±19.23 | 0.017* |
| Plasma TMAO, µmol/L | 7.77 (6.11–9.85) | 7.94 (6.10–10.24) | 7.70 (6.14–9.57) | 0.721 |
Variables expressed as mean±SD or median (IQR). Paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used for statistical comparisons.
*P value <0.05 considered significant.
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; hsCRP, high-sensitivity C reactive protein; TMAO, trimethylamine N-oxide.