Table 1 Characteristics of the study population

Men, n (%)

396,028 (52.3)

274,891 (61.4)

Age, mean

63.7 ± 11.7

71.5 ± 9.5

Diabetes duration, mean years

7.4 ± 7.1

10.5 ± 8.4

HbA1c, mean mmol/mol

54.7 ± 14.6

55.5 ± 13.7

Diabetes medications, n (%)

560,539 (74.4)

350,387 (78.5)

Antiplatelets^a, n (%)

171,114 (23.1)

316,290 (72.1)

Antihypertensives, n (%)

508,907 (68.6)

401,935 (90.9)

Systolic blood pressure, mean mmHg

137.2 ± 16.4

136.2 ± 16.9

Diastolic blood pressure, mean mmHg

78.5 ± 9.6

74.9 ± 9.8

Total cholesterol, mean mmol/l

5.4 ± 0.9

4.7 ± 1.0

LDL cholesterol, mean mmol/l

3.4 ± 0.7

2.7 ± 0.8

HDL cholesterol, mean mmol/l

1.3 ± 0.4

1.2 ± 0.3

Triglycerides, mean mmol/l

1.8 ± 0.9

1.8 ± 0.9

eGFR, mean ml/min/1.73 m²

85.6 ± 25.1

74.3 ± 25.0

Microalbuminuria, n (%)

92,812 (17.8)

77,698 (25.6)

Macroalbuminuria, n (%)

29,895 (5.7)

35,005 (11.3)

BMI, mean kg/m²

30.1 ± 5.4

29.7 ± 5.1

Physical activity < once a week^b, n (%)

105,300 (24.2)

87,486 (32.8)

Smoking^c, n (%)

103,874 (17.1)

49,766 (13.7)