Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025.
World J Diabetes. Mar 15, 2025; 16(3): 98590
Published online Mar 15, 2025. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v16.i3.98590
Table 1 Baseline characteristics in the study participants
Characteristic
Overall (n = 4428)
Non-lower limb atherosclerosis (n = 1913)
Lower limb atherosclerosis (n = 2515)
P value
RBP, mg/L31.90 [26.15, 38.90]30.96 [25.50, 36.95]32.76 [26.80, 40.50]< 0.001
Age, years56.00 [48.00, 65.00]50.00 [40.00, 58.00]59.00 [52.00, 68.00]< 0.001
Male, n (%)2691 (60.77)1051 (54.94)1640 (65.21)< 0.001
Cigarette smoking history, n (%)1786 (40.33)649 (33.93)1137 (45.21)< 0.001
Alcohol consumption history, n (%)1722 (38.89)671 (35.08)1051 (41.79)< 0.001
Hypertension, n (%)2765 (62.44)995 (52.01)1770 (70.38)< 0.001
Hyperlipidemia, n (%)2521 (56.93)1102 (57.61)1419 (56.42)0.449
CHD, n (%)838 (18.93)227 (11.87)611 (24.29)< 0.001
SBP, mmHg129.00 [116.00, 143.00]126.00 [114.00, 139.00]132.00 [119.00, 145.00]< 0.001
DBP, mmHg80.50 [73.00, 89.00]81.00 [73.00, 90.00]80.00 [73.00, 89.00]0.196
BMI, kg/m224.20 [21.80, 26.60]24.20 [21.70, 26.90]24.10 [21.90, 26.40]0.132
HbA1c, %8.40 [7.00, 10.30]8.30 [6.80, 10.45]8.50 [7.10, 10.20]0.020
FBG, mmol/L8.49 [6.56, 11.40]8.29 [6.38, 11.59]8.62 [6.70, 11.29]0.054
TC, mmol/L4.59 [3.87, 5.39]4.62 [3.92, 5.34]4.58 [3.82, 5.42]0.67
LDL, mmol/L2.86 [2.35, 3.41]2.86 [2.37, 3.35]2.87 [2.33, 3.46]0.383
TG, mmol/L1.56 [1.11, 2.35]1.57 [1.10, 2.43]1.56 [1.13, 2.27]0.351
HDL, mmol/L1.10 [0.92, 1.30]1.11 [0.94, 1.32]1.09 [0.92, 1.29]0.004
WBC count, 109/L6.30 [5.24, 7.64]6.10 [5.10, 7.41]6.46 [5.35, 7.86]< 0.001
CRP, mg/L2.93 [1.19, 11.58]2.62 [1.08, 9.14]3.20 [1.26, 14.24]< 0.001
AST, IU/L20.67 [17.00, 26.10]21.10 [17.20, 27.40]20.40 [16.85, 25.10]< 0.001
ALT, IU/L19.45 [14.10, 28.80]20.90 [15.00, 32.75]18.65 [13.70, 26.62]< 0.001
UA, μmol/L326.20 [265.00, 398.00]326.00 [265.10, 396.00]327.00 [264.00, 399.50]0.850
eGFR, mL/minute/1.73 m297.66 [77.73, 113.18]104.67 [88.91, 120.20]91.16 [69.40, 107.07]< 0.001
Table 2 Baseline characteristics in the study participants based on serum retinol-binding protein tertiles
Characteristic
Q1 (n = 1474)
Q2 (n = 1478)
Q3 (n = 1476)
P value
lower limb atherosclerosis, n (%)759 (51.49)794 (53.73)962 (66.18)< 0.001
Age, years56.00 [47.00, 64.00]55.00 [47.25, 64.75]56.00 [49.00, 65.00]0.130
Male, n (%)775 (52.58)893 (60.42)1023 (69.31)< 0.001
Cigarette smoking history, n (%)501 (33.99)595 (40.26)690 (46.75)< 0.001
Alcohol consumption history, n (%)469 (31.82)578 (39.11)675 (45.73)< 0.001
Hypertension, n (%)727 (49.32)912 (61.71)1126 (76.29)< 0.001
CHD, n (%)207 (14.04)279 (18.88)352 (23.85)< 0.001
Hyperlipidemia, n (%)598 (40.57)905 (61.23)1018 (68.97)< 0.001
SBP, mmHg126.00 [113.00, 139.00]129.00 [117.00, 142.00]132.00 [119.00, 148.00]< 0.001
DBP, mmHg79.00 [71.00, 87.00]81.00 [73.00, 89.75]83.00 [75.00, 92.00]< 0.001
BMI, kg/m223.20 [20.70, 26.00]24.20 [22.10, 26.40]24.90 [22.60, 27.20]< 0.001
RBP, mg/L23.80 [20.40, 26.15]31.90 [30.07, 33.90]42.61 [38.90, 48.16]< 0.001
HbA1c, %9.00 [7.20, 10.90]8.30 [7.00, 10.20]8.05 [6.80, 9.70]< 0.001
FBG, mmol/L8.93 [6.52, 12.57]8.37 [6.52, 11.19]8.23 [6.59, 10.78]< 0.001
TC, mmol/L4.38 [3.68, 5.12]4.66 [3.92, 5.42]4.80 [4.00, 5.63]< 0.001
LDL, mmol/L2.74 [2.23, 3.25]2.88 [2.41, 3.46]2.96 [2.39, 3.52]< 0.001
TG, mmol/L1.27 [0.94, 1.80]1.57 [1.15, 2.32]1.95 [1.37, 2.91]< 0.001
HDL, mmol/L1.10 [0.90, 1.34]1.11 [0.94, 1.30]1.08 [0.94, 1.28]0.440
WBC count, 109/L6.17 [4.99, 7.56]6.18 [5.22, 7.44]6.58 [5.46, 7.89]< 0.001
CRP, mg/L3.87 [1.32, 21.64]2.37 [1.08, 7.73]2.74 [1.19, 9.30]< 0.001
AST, IU/L20.60 [16.36, 27.80]20.50 [17.21, 25.30]20.98 [17.30, 25.75]0.466
ALT, IU/L18.65 [13.11, 30.30]19.73 [14.61, 27.90]19.90 [14.75, 29.10]0.027
UA, μmol/L277.00 [227.00, 333.00]325.00 [270.89, 384.00]380.00 [321.00, 441.12]< 0.001
eGFR, mL/minute/1.73 m2105.85 [90.95, 120.70]100.24 [85.50, 114.03]81.76 [53.80, 101.49]< 0.001
Table 3 Association between serum retinol-binding protein levels and lower limb atherosclerosis risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Serum RBP levels
Model 1, OR (95%CI)
Model 1, P value
Model 2, OR (95%CI)
Model 2, P value
Model 3, OR (95%CI)
Model 3, P value
Continuous1.02 (1.02, 1.03)< 0.0011.01 (1.01, 1.02)< 0.0011.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.004
Tertiles
Q1ReferenceReferenceReference
Q21.09 (0.95, 1.26)0.2001.00 (0.84, 1.18)0.9001.00 (0.84, 1.19)0.900
Q31.76 (1.52, 2.04)< 0.0011.44 (1.21, 1.71)< 0.0011.36 (1.12, 1.67)0.002
P for trend< 0.001< 0.0010.005
Table 4 Subgroup analysis of relationship between serum retinol-binding protein level and lower limb atherosclerosis risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients
Subgroups
OR (95%CI)
P value
P for interaction
Age0.019
    < 60 years1.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.016
    ≥ 60 years1.01 (0.99, 1.02)0.400
Sex0.700
    Male1.02 (1.01, 1.03)0.003
    Female1.01 (0.99, 1.02)0.500
BMI0.900
    < 25 kg/m21.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.110
    ≥ 25 kg/m21.02 (1.00, 1.03)0.011
Hypertension0.800
    Yes1.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.037
    No1.02 (1.00, 1.03)0.036
Hyperlipidemia0.700
    Yes1.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.022
    No1.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.091
CHD0.200
    Yes1.03 (1.01, 1.06)0.003
    No1.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.069
eGFR0.800
    ≤ 60 mL/minute/1.73 m21.02 (1.00, 1.03)0.046
    > 60 mL/minute/1.73 m21.01 (1.00, 1.02)0.027