Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the 56 patients according to gender and folate
Women (n = 28) [n (%) or mean ± SD] | Men (n = 28) [n (%) or mean ± SD] | P value | Folate deficiency (<13.5 nmol/l) (n = 11) [n (%) or mean ± SD] | Folate normal (≥13.5 nmol/l) (n = 45) [n (%) or mean ± SD] | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vitamin B12 level (pmol/l) | 205 ± 136 | 200 ± 103 | ns | 224 ± 142 | 197 ± 114 | ns |
Vitamin B12 deficiency (<150 pmol/l) | 13 (46 %) | 11 (39 %) | ns | 5 (45 %) | 19 (42 %) | ns |
Folate level (nmol/l) | 21.8 ± 10.8 | 21.1 ± 9.3 | ns | 10.8 ± 2.1 | 24.0 ± 9.5 | <0.001 |
Folate deficiency (<13.5 nmol/l) | 7 (25 %) | 4 (14 %) | ns | 11 (100 %) | 0 (0 %) | <0.001 |
25-OH-vitamin D level (nmol/l) | 63.6 ± 17.7 | 63.1 ± 20.5 | ns | 59.2 ± 25.5 | 64.5 ± 17.3 | ns |
25-OH-vitamin D deficiency (<49.9 nmol/l) | 9 (32 %) | 5 (18 %) | ns | 4 (36 %) | 10 (22 %) | ns |
Homocysteine level (μmol/l) | 16.8 ± 9.5 | 16.9 ± 6.4 | ns | 17.4 ± 6.9 | 16.8 ± 8.3 | ns |
Hyperhomocysteinaemia (≥15.0 μmol/l) | 14 (50 %) | 15 (54 %) | ns | 7 (64 %) | 22 (49 %) | ns |
Ethnicity (n and % of respective column group) | ||||||
Chinese | 24 (85 %) | 19 (68 %) | ns | 8 (73 %) | 35 (78 %) | ns |
Malay | 2 (7 %) | 1 (4 %) | ns | 0 (0 %) | 3 (7 %) | ns |
Indian | 1 (4 %) | 4 (14 %) | ns | 3 (18 %) | 3 (7 %) | ns |
Eurasian and Others | 1 (4 %) | 4 (14 %) | ns | 1 (9 %) | 4 (9 %) | ns |
Age (years) | ||||||
Overall mean age | 72 ± 5 | 71 ± 4 | ns | 72 ± 5 | 71 ± 5 | ns |
65–69 years old (n and % of respective column group) | 10 (36 %) | 13 (46 %) | ns | 4 (36 %) | 19 (42 %) | ns |
70–74 years old (n and % of respective column group) | 11 (39 %) | 9 (32 %) | ns | 5 (46 %) | 15 (33 %) | ns |
75–79 years old (n and % of respective column group) | 4 (14 %) | 5 (18 %) | ns | 1 (9 %) | 8 (18 %) | ns |
80–84 years old (n and % of respective column group) | 3 (11 %) | 1 (4 %) | ns | 1 (9 %) | 3 (7 %) | ns |
Height (m) | 1.52 ± 0.05 | 1.65 ± 0.07 | <0.001 | 1.55 ± 0.11 | 1.59 ± 0.09 | ns |
Weight (kg) | 55.6 ± 9.0 | 67.9 ± 10.2 | <0.001 | 64.4 ± 14.4 | 61.1 ± 10.6 | ns |
BMI (kg/m2) | 24.2 ± 4.0 | 24.9 ± 3.78 | ns | 26.6 ± 3.5 | 24.1 ± 3.8 | ns |
History of chronic disease | ||||||
Hypertension | 24 (85 %) | 21 (75 %) | ns | 10 (91 %) | 35 (78 %) | ns |
Hyperlipidaemia | 26 (93 %) | 27 (96 %) | ns | 11 (100 %) | 42 (93 %) | ns |
Ischaemic heart disease | 5 (19 %) | 7 (25 %) | ns | 1 (11 %) | 11 (24 %) | ns |
Stroke | 3 (11 %) | 0 (0 %) | ns | 1 (9 %) | 2 (4 %) | ns |
Cancer (exclusion criterion) | 0 (0 %) | 0 (0 %) | ns | 0 (0 %) | 0 (0 %) | ns |
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 0 (0 %) | 0 (0 %) | ns | 0 (0 %) | 0 (0 %) | ns |
Number of chronic medications (excluding supplements) | 5.8 ± 1.6 | 6.0 ± 2.4 | ns | 6.8 ± 2.0 | 5.7 ± 2.0 | ns |
Vitamin–mineral supplementation | ||||||
Supplementation of any type | 21 (75 %) | 13 (46 %) | <0.05 | 7 (64 %) | 27 (60 %) | ns |
Supplementation containing vitamin B12 | 4 (14 %) | 3 (11 %) | ns | 4 (36 %) | 3 (7 %) | <0.05 |
Supplementation containing folate | 3 (11 %) | 2 (7 %) | ns | 2 (18 %) | 3 (7 %) | ns |
Supplementation containing vitamin D | 12 (43 %) | 4 (14 %) | <0.05 | 5 (45 %) | 11 (24 %) | ns |
Supplementation containing calcium | 13 (46 %) | 5 (18 %) | <0.05 | 5 (45 %) | 13 (29 %) | ns |
Taking proton-pump inhibitor | 6 (21 %) | 7 (25 %) | ns | 4 (36 %) | 9 (20 %) | ns |
Taking Histamine H2 antagonist | 0 (0 %) | 3 (11 %) | ns | 1 (9 %) | 2 (4 %) | ns |
Taking metformin | 25 (89 %) | 27 (96 %) | ns | 11 (100 %) | 41 (91 %) | ns |
Metformin duration >1 year | 24 (85 %) | 25 (89 %) | ns | 11 (100 %) | 38 (84 %) | ns |
Metformin 1-year cumulative dose (g/year) | 543 ± 420 | 538 ± 311 | ns | 684 ± 250 | 505 ± 318 | ns |
Metformin latest daily dose (g/day) | 1.49 ± 0.84 | 1.57 ± 0.87 | ns | 1.82 ± 0.73 | 1.46 ± 0.87 | ns |
Taking sulphonylureas | 15 (54 %) | 18 (64 %) | ns | 7 (64 %) | 26 (58 %) | ns |
Taking dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors | 3 (11 %) | 4 (14 %) | ns | 2 (18 %) | 5 (11 %) | ns |
Taking insulin | 3 (11 %) | 2 (7 %) | ns | 0 (0 %) | 5 (11 %) | ns |
Smoking | 1 (4 %) | 4 (14 %) | ns | 0 (0 %) | 5 (11 %) | ns |
Consumption of alcohol at least 1 unit per week | 0 (0 %) | 8 (29 %) | <0.01 | 2 (18 %) | 6 (13 %) | ns |
Self-reported sleep per day (h) | 7.2 ± 1.6 | 6.8 ± 1.0 | ns | 6.7 ± 1.2 | 7.0 ± 1.4 | ns |
HbA1c (%) | 7.3 ± 0.6 | 7.2 ± 0.7 | ns | 7.2 ± 0.9 | 7.3 ± 0.6 | ns |
aEstimated creatinine clearance (ml/min) (Cockcroft–Gault) | 62.0 ± 19.8 | 68.0 ± 25.1 | ns | 70.0 ± 27.1 | 63.8 ± 21.5 | ns |
aLDL cholesterol level (mmol/l) | 2.25 ± 0.61 | 2.18 ± 0.79 | ns | 2.59 ± 0.97 | 2.13 ± 0.60 | ns |
Total protein (g/l) [for patients 12–56 only; 22 male, 23 female] | 72.3 ± 3.0 | 71.0 ± 3.8 | ns | 72.7 ± 3.4 | 71.5 ± 3.5 | ns |
Total albumin (g/l) [for patients 12–56 only; 22 male, 23 female] | 45.0 ± 2.4 | 45.4 ± 2.0 | ns | 44.7 ± 1.3 | 45.2 ± 2.4 | ns |
Neurothesiometer VPT (V) (average of both feet) | 13.21 ± 5.73 | 13.55 ± 6.12 | ns | See Table 3 | See Table 3 | - |
Average lower-limb strength (kgf) (average of both limbs, three attempts per limb) | 17.14 ± 4.82 | 26.79 ± 11.78 | <0.001 | See Table 3 | See Table 3 | - |
Average lower limb strength/BMI (m2) | 0.73 ± 0.24 | 1.09 ± 0.41 | <0.001 | |||
Average grip strength (kgf) (average of both hands, three attempts per hand) | 16.22 ± 3.29 | 25.54 ± 7.78 | <0.001 | See Table 3 | See Table 3 | - |
Average grip strength/BMI (m2) | 0.69 ± 0.19 | 1.04 ± 0.33 | <0.001 | |||
6-m fast-gait speed (m/s) (average of two trials) | 1.02 ± 0.27 | 1.17 ± 0.28 | ns | See Table 3 | See Table 3 | - |
Timed up-and-go test (s) (average of two trials) | 11.36 ± 5.72 | 9.53 ± 2.72 | ns | See Table 3 | See Table 3 | - |