Table 2 Baseline characteristics of the study population
|  | Total cohort n=1,044,955 | FIT (−) n=815,361 | FIT (+) n=229,594 | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Clinical parameter | ||||
 Sex |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  Male | 565,280 (54.1) | 436,092 (53.5) | 129,188 (56.3) |  |
  Female | 479,675 (45.9) | 379,269 (46.5) | 100,406 (43.7) |  |
 Age group at screening, years |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  50–54 | 257,621 (24.7) | 194,292 (23.8) | 63,329 (27.6) |  |
  55–59 | 199,710 (19.1) | 152,024 (18.6) | 47,686 (20.8) |  |
  60–64 | 205,867 (19.7) | 158,717 (19.5) | 47,150 (20.5) |  |
  65–69 | 146,656 (14.0) | 114,319 (14.0) | 32,337 (14.1) |  |
  ≥70 | 235,101 (22.5) | 196,009 (24.1) | 39,092 (17.0) |  |
 BMI, kg/m2 | 24.0 [22.1,26.0] | 24.0 [22.1,26.0] | 24.1 [22.2,26.1] | <0.001 |
 Smoking status |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  No | 754,426 (83.9) | 592,256 (84.0) | 162,170 (83.4) |  |
  Yes | 145,186 (16.1) | 112,858 (16.0) | 32,328 (16.6) |  |
 Alcohol drinking |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  No | 709,427 (78.9) | 559,665 (79.4) | 149,762 (77.0) |  |
  Yes | 190,055 (21.1) | 145,337 (20.6) | 44,718 (23.0) |  |
 Exercise |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  No | 297,913 (33.1) | 236,383 (33.5) | 61,530 (31.6) |  |
  Yes | 601,690 (66.9) | 468,718 (66.5) | 132,972 (68.4) |  |
 Insurance type |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  Medical aid | 44,650 (4.3) | 35,631 (4.4) | 9,019 (3.9) |  |
  NHI | 100,265 (95.7) | 779,696 (95.6) | 220,569 (96.1) |  |
 Income status |  |  |  | <0.001 |
  1st quantile | 208,136 (20.5) | 162,340 (20.5) | 45,796 (20.5) |  |
  2nd quantile | 145,115 (14.3) | 111,690 (14.1) | 33,425 (15.0) |  |
  3rd quantile | 170,324 (16.8) | 131,602 (16.6) | 38,722 (17.3) |  |
  4th quantile | 207,238 (20.4) | 161,637 (20.4) | 45,601 (20.4) |  |
  5th quantile | 285,505 (28.0) | 225,514 (28.4) | 59,991 (26.8) |  |
 Comorbidities |  |  |  |  |
  Hypertension |  |  |  | <0.001 |
   No | 656,727 (87.8) | 518,754 (93.4) | 137,973 (92.5) |  |
   Yes | 47,872 (12.2) | 36,644 (6.6) | 11,228 (7.5) |  |
  Diabetes |  |  |  | <0.001 |
   No | 656,727 (93.2) | 518,754 (93.4) | 137,973 (92.5) |  |
   Yes | 47,872 (6.8) | 36,644 (6.6) | 11,228 (7.5) |  |
  Dyslipidaemia |  |  |  | <0.001 |
   No | 501,128 (67.1) | 397,006 (67.5) | 104,122 (65.4) |  |
   Yes | 246,187 (32.9) | 191,200 (32.5) | 54,987 (34.6) |  |
Laboratory measures | ||||
 Blood haemoglobin, g/dL | 13.8 [12.8,14.9] | 13.8 [12.9,14.9] | 13.8 [12.8,14.8] | <0.001 |
 Serum creatinine, mg/dL | 0.9 [0.7,1.0] | 0.9 [0.7,1.0] | 0.9 [0.8,1.0] | <0.001 |
 Serum total cholesterol, mg/dL | 197 [172,223] | 196 [172,222] | 198 [173,224] | <0.001 |
 Serum triglycerides, mg/dL | 116 [82,167] | 116 [82,167] | 116 [81,168] | 0.011 |
 Serum HDL-cholesterol, mg/dL | 52 [44,62] | 52 [44,61] | 52 [44,62] | <0.001 |
 Serum LDL-cholesterol, mg/dL | 116 [93,140] | 116 [93,140] | 117 [94,141] | <0.001 |