Table 1 Baseline characteristics according to Lp-PLA₂ quartiles.

Overall (n)

1587

396

397

397

397

Lp-PLA₂ mass (ng/mL)

160.3 ± 62.5

128.1 ± 2.8

136.6 ± 2.7

149 ± 5.1

227.3 ± 96.8

Men (n, %)

1092(68.8)

278(70.2)

274(69.0)

261(65.7)

279(70.3)

0.47

Age (years)

61.6 ± 11.8

56.5 ± 9.1

59.6 ± 10.6

62.9 ± 11.7

67.3 ± 12.8

<0.01

BMI (kg/m²)

<0.01

  <25

845(53.25)

185(46.72)

204(51.39)

222(55.92)

234(58.94)

  25–30

648(40.83)

185(46.72)

160(40.30)

158(39.80)

145(36.52)

  >30

94(5.92)

26(6.57)

33(8.31)

17(4.28)

18(4.53)

Current smoking (n, %)

496(31.3)

154(38.9)

126(31.7)

111(28.0)

105(26.4)

<0.01

Physical activity (n, %)

0.91

  Inactive

564(35.5)

142(35.9)

141(35.5)

137(34.5)

144(36.3)

  Moderate

358(22.6)

95(24.0)

90(22.7)

83(20.9)

90(22.7)

  Active

665(41.9)

159(40.2)

166(41.8)

177(44.6)

163(41.1)

Education level (n, %)

<0.01

  Illiterate or primary

310(19.5)

67(16.9)

63(15.9)

85(21.4)

95(23.9)

  Middle or high school

686(43.2)

187(47.2)

191(48.1)

155(39.0)

153(38.5)

  College or above

591(37.2)

142(35.9)

143(36.0)

157(39.5)

149(37.5)

ALT (U/L)

17.7 ± 10.7

18.9 ± 10.3

18.6 ± 10.8

17.6 ± 11.6

15.8 ± 9.9

<0.01

Diabetes (n, %)

259(16.3)

60(15.2)

61(15.4)

75(18.9)

63(15.9)

0.45

Hypertension (n, %)

910(57.3)

198(50.0)

211(53.1)

241(60.7)

260(65.5)

<0.01

Hyperlipidaemia (n, %)

839(52.9)

231(58.3)

213(53.7)

209(52.6)

186(46.9)

0.01

Triglyceride (mmol/L)

1.6 ± 1.3

1.9 ± 1.7

1.6 ± 1.0

1.5 ± 1.0

1.4 ± 1.2

 < 0.01

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

5.2 ± 1.1

5.3 ± 1.2

5.1 ± 1.0

5.1 ± 1.0

5.1 ± 1.1

0.29

HDL (mmol/L)

1.6 ± 0.5

1.6 ± 0.7

1.5 ± 0.4

1.6 ± 0.5

1.7 ± 0.5

0.02

LDL (mmol/L)

2.7 ± 0.8

2.8 ± 0.9

2.7 ± 0.7

2.6 ± 0.7

2.6 ± 1.0

0.06

NAFLD (n, %)

650(41.0)

190(48.0%)

174(43.8)

150(37.8)

136(34.3)

<0.01