Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of participates in this study

Age, years

62.68 ± 9.69

69.93 ± 9.21

P < 0.001

65.47 ± 9.59

P = 0.092

Gender (male)

19 (55.9%)

116 (80.0%)

P = 0.003

30 (88.2%)

P = 0.006

BMI (kg/m2)

26.63 ± 5.04

27.68 ± 4.44

P = 0.025

28.26 ± 4.60

P = 0.038

Current/ex-smokers

11 (32.4%)

88 (60.7%)

P = 0.003

21 (61.8%)

P = 0.015

Rutherford Categories

NA

NA

 Category 0

0

33 (22.8%)

9 (26.5%)

 Category 1

0

34 (23.4%)

9 (26.5%)

 Category 2

0

34 (23.4%)

7 (20.6%)

 Category 3

0

34 (23.4%)

7 (20.6%)

 Category 4

0

10 (6.9%)

2 (5.9%)

Baseline characteristics

 Hypertension

14 (41.2%)

121 (83.4%)

P < 0.001

29 (85.3%)

P < 0.001

 Coronary heart disease

9 (26.5%)

84 (57.9%)

P = 0.001

15 (44.1%)

P = 0.128

 Renal insufficiency (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2)

2 (5.9%)

34 (23.4%)

P = 0.019

7 (20.6%)

P = 0.150

 Heart failure

7 (20.6%)

68 (46.9%)

P = 0.005

10 (29.4%)

P = 0.401

 Carotid artery stenosis > 30%

3 (8.8%)

55 (37.9%)

P = 0.001

7 (25%)

P = 0.163

 Diabetes

3 (8.8%)

45 (31%)

P = 0.009

10 (29.4%)

P = 0.062

 Atrial fibrillation

0

19 (13.1%)

P = 0.026

1 (2.9%)

P = 1

 Creatinine, µmol/l

76.62 ± 14.27

96.63 ± 49.13

P = 0.001

90.12 ± 26.66

P = 0.018

 eGFR, ml/min per 1.73m2

85.57 ± 14.92

73.13 ± 21.29

P = 0.003

78.78 ± 19.94

P = 0.117

 NT-proBNP

109.19 ± 97.86

622.43 ± 2912.20

P < 0.001

253.47 ± 395.07

P = 0.092

 hs Troponin

8.43 ± 5.68

15.18 ± 11.54

P < 0.001

12.09 ± 8.72

P = 0.011

 total cholesterol, mmol/L

4.88 ± 1.24

4.11 ± 1.49

P < 0.001

4.08 ± 1.25

P = 0.010

 Triglyceride, mmol/L

1.44 ± 0.94

1.88 ± 2.30

P = 0.077

1.96 ± 1.38

P = 0.050

 LDL-Cholesterol, mmol/L

2.82 ± 0.92

2.19 ± 0.98

P < 0.001

2.08 ± 0.98

P = 0.002

 HDL-Cholesterol, mmol/L

1.51 ± 0.45

1.28 ± 0.37

P = 0.005

1.29 ± 0.40

P = 0.031

 Lipoprotein(a), mg/dl

25.29 ± 36.21

30.47 ± 38.28

P = 0.322

24.36 ± 34.62

P = 0.980

 Ankle brachial index (ABI)

1.0 ± 0.14

0.86 ± 0.18

P < 0.001

0.81 ± 0.23

P < 0.001

 Flow mediated dilation (FMD), %

9.6 ± 2.11

8.65 ± 2.68

P = 0.055

9.19 ± 2.27

P = 0.439

 Heart rate, beat/min

66.71 ± 8.79

69.10 ± 11.41

P = 0.271

68.19 ± 11.36

P = 0.617

 Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

132.5 ± 11.94

139.80 ± 19.66

P = 0.144

141.23 ± 18.77

P = 0.143

 Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

79.88 ± 9.06

78.15 ± 11.76

P = 0.119

79.42 ± 10.03

P = 0.404

Treadmill testing

 Pain-free walking distance, m

700 ± 0

367.07 ± 250.63

P < 0.001

452.48 ± 264.19

P < 0.001

 Maximum walking distance, m

700 ± 0

440.76 ± 228.36

P < 0.001

532.13 ± 221.33

P < 0.001

 Walking time < 6 min

0

53 (38.7%)

P < 0.001

7 (10.8%)

P = 0.004