Table 1 Baseline characteristics of participants stratified by level of serum albumin concentration

Age (years)

65.94 ± 11.64

66.97 ± 11.79

67.02 ± 11.10

62.98 ± 11.76

Sex, male, n (%)

734 (73.40%)

230 (66.50%)

282 (72.30%)

222 (84.10%)

Smoking, n (%)

128 (12.80%)

58 (16.80%)

44 (11.30%)

26 (9.80%)

Comorbidities, n (%)

 Hypertension

766 (76.60%)

274 (79.20%)

304 (77.90%)

188 (71.20%)

 Diabetes

278 (27.80%)

110 (31.80%)

118 (30.30%)

50 (18.90%)

 Hyperlipidemia

559 (55.90%)

184 (53.20%)

230 (59.00%)

145 (54.90%)

Medication, n (%)

 Antihypertensive drugs

722 (72.20%)

256 (74.00%)

290 (74.40%)

176 (66.70%)

 Antihyperglycemic drugs

252 (25.20%)

110 (31.80%)

102 (26.20%)

40 (15.20%)

 Lipid-lowering drugs

471 (47.10%)

158 (45.70%)

208 (53.30%)

105 (39.80%)

BMI (kg/m²)

31.81 ± 7.02

33.59 ± 8.61

31.53 ± 5.88

29.89 ± 5.57

SBP (mmHg)

131.68 ± 18.33

133.63 ± 19.29

130.48 ± 18.63

130.90 ± 16.35

DBP (mmHg)

69.71 ± 12.90

69.13 ± 13.50

68.82 ± 12.21

71.78 ± 12.90

Triglyceride (mmol/L)

1.48 (1.13, 2.08)

1.39 (1.07, 1.92)

1.52 (1.17, 2.04)

1.50 (1.15, 2.45)

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

4.84 ± 1.11

4.63 ± 0.97

4.85 ± 1.11

5.11 ± 1.22

LDL-C (mmol/L)

2.76 ± 0.78

2.65 ± 0.74

2.81 ± 0.77

2.83 ± 0.82

HDL-C (mmol/L)

1.23 ± 0.38

1.24 ± 0.37

1.24 ± 0.37

1.21 ± 0.40

Blood urea nitrogen (mmol/L)

6.51 ± 3.55

6.67 ± 3.77

6.68 ± 3.87

6.04 ± 2.58

Creatinine, (μmol/L)

107.38 ± 69.42

112.27 ± 72.67

106.56 ± 67.17

102.18 ± 68.16

eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m²)

71.26 ± 25.13

68.53 ± 27.24

70.96 ± 22.75

75.30 ± 25.18

Uric acid (μmol/L)

401.34 ± 110.29

396.38 ± 114.42

403.06 ± 109.75

405.28 ± 105.65

FPG (mmol/L)

6.81 ± 1.95

6.88 ± 2.17

6.77 ± 1.99

6.80 ± 1.55

HbA1c (%)

6.06 ± 1.06

6.22 ± 1.30

6.09 ± 0.93

5.81 ± 0.79

CRP (mg/dL)

0.29 (0.12, 0.64)

0.46 (0.23, 1.09)

0.23 (0.11, 0.60)

0.19 (0.08, 0.38)

All-cause death, n (%)

272 (27.20%)

142 (41.00%)

106 (27.20%)

24 (9.10%)