Table 1 Characteristics of the study population

Number of patients

505

502

1007

Age (years)^†

50.7 ± 6.0

51.9 ± 5.9

51.3 ± 6.0

BMI (kg/m²)^*

28.0 ± 4.2

27.3 ± 4.9

27.6 ± 4.6

SBP (mmHg)^‡

152 ± 21.5

144 ± 22.2

148 ± 22.2

DBP (mmHg)^‡

92.4 ± 11.1

85.6 ± 12.2

89.0 ± 12.2

Hypertension^‡

386 (76%)

296 (59%)

682 (68%)

Smoking (pack-years)^‡

11.0 (0.0–25.0)

0.0 (0.0–5.0)

1.0 (0.0–16.0)

Smoking habits^‡

Never

158 (31%)

317 (63%)

475 (47%)

Occasionally

5 (1.0%)

7 (1.4%)

12 (1.2%)

Not anymore

186 (37%)

55 (11%)

241 (24%)

Current smoker

156 (31%)

123 (25%)

279 (28%)

Alcohol (g/week)^‡

63.0 (12.0-144.0)

11.5 (1.0–33.0)

24.0 (2.0–84.0)

Total cholesterol (mmol/l)^*

5.77 ± 1.06

5.62 ± 1.05

5.69 ± 1.05

HDL (mmol/l)^‡

1.20 ± 0.31

1.50 ± 0.38

1.35 ± 0.38

LDL (mmol/l)^‡

3.66 ± 0.95

3.40 ± 0.93

3.53 ± 0.95

Triglycerides (mmol/l)^‡

1.48 (1.08–2.11)

1.17 (0.91–1.59)

1.31 (0.98–1.84)

Carotid plaques^‡

285 (56%)

177 (35%)

462 (46%)

Abdominal aorta plaques^†

430 (85%)

454 (90%)

884 (88%)

Both plaques

260 (52%)

171 (34%)

431 (43%)

No plaques

50 (9.9%)

42 (8.4%)

92 (9.1%)

Diabetes

57 (11%)

43 (8.6%)

100 (9.9%)

CAD

41 (8.1%)

41 (8.2%)

82 (8.1%)

Stroke or TIA

11 (2.2%)

11 (2.2%)

22 (2.2%)

Medication

ASA^*

34 (6.7%)

21 (4.2%)

55 (5.5%)

Antihypertensive

256 (51%)

262 (52%)

518 (51%)

Lipid-lowering

19 (3.8%)

9 (1.8%)

28 (2.8%)