Peripheral and Autonomic Neuropathy in South Asians and White Caucasians with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Possible Explanations for Epidemiological Differences

Table 1

Summary of baseline characteristics in relation to ethnicity. Data are presented as median (IQR) or mean ± 1SD depending on data distribution. The percentages represent % of participants in the ethnic group. STR: sight threatening retinopathy defined as preproliferative or proliferative retinopathy or maculopathy or previous laser treatment. TIA: transient ischaemic attack. PVD: peripheral vascular disease.

	South Asians; ()	White Caucasians; ()	value
Age (years)			0.003
Male (%)	60.3	56.4	0.521
Smoking (current or ex-smoker)	30.2	50.7	0.001
Alcohol (%)	2.4	47.9	<0.001
Diabetes duration (years)	11.0 (7.0–18.0)	10.5 (5.0–16.0)	0.153
BMI (kg/m^2)	30.1 (26.5–33.6)	35.3 (31.8–41.4)	<0.001
Waist circumference (cm)	103.2 (96.9–113.1)	117.2 (109.2–129.4)	<0.001
Hip circumference (cm)	102.5 (97–112.25)	120.0 (108.6–131.75)	<0.001
Waist/hip ratio			0.276
Neck circumference (cm)	39.0 (36.9–41.8)	43.0 (39.6–47.0)	<0.001
Height (cm)			0.051
Neck height ratio			<0.001
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	126.0 (115.5–138.5)	130.0 (124.5–140.0)	0.008
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	77.5 (70.0–84.5)	79.0 (73.6–85.9)	0.032
HbA1c (%)	8.0 (7.16–9.20)	8.0 (7.23–9.19)	0.868
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	3.7 (3.3–4.3)	3.7 (3.3–4.4)	0.637
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	1.8 (1.1–2.4)	1.7 (1.3–2.5)	0.550
HDL (mmol/L)	1.1 (0.9–1.2)	1.1 (0.9–1.3)	0.217
TSH (mU/L)	1.6 (1.0–2.3)	1.9 (1.4–2.3)	0.024
Estimated GFR (mL/min/1.73 m^2)			0.053
Oral antidiabetes agent (%)	91.3	92.9	0.632
Sulphonylureas (%)	42.1	30.7	0.054
Insulin (%)	50.0	57.9	0.199
Insulin dose (units)	80.0 (44.0–118)	67.0 (52.0–97.5)	0.649
GLP-1 analogues (%)	4.0	17.1	0.001
Lipid lowering treatment (%)	81	85	0.379
Antihypertensive therapy	74.6	84.3	0.05
Antiplatelet agents (%)	65.6	64.5	0.847
Albuminuria (%)	38.6	34.6	0.536
STR (%)	36.0	36.8	0.908
Ischaemic heart disease (%)	23.0	17.1	0.231
CABG (%)	13.5	10.0	0.375
Stroke/ TIA (%)	9.5	10.7	0.748
PVD (%)	2.4	8.6	0.029