Baseline characteristics
| Pre-existing or non-existing carotid plaque | Newly developed carotid plaque | P value | ||
| Stable plaque | Vulnerable plaque | |||
| N | 1622 | 749 | 576 | |
| Age, years | 46.72 (43.28–52.94) | 54.60 (48.02–62.96) | 59.97 (51.25–70.90) | <0.001 |
| Male, % | 810 (49.94) | 285 (38.05) | 177 (30.73) | <0.001 |
| SBP, mm Hg | 120.0 (110.0–130.0) | 130.0 (119.3–140.0) | 130.0 (120.0–147.0) | <0.001 |
| DBP, mm Hg | 80.0 (70.7–85.0) | 80.0 (78.7–90.0) | 80.0 (77.7–90.0) | <0.001 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 24.42 (22.37–26.75) | 24.95 (22.90–27.31) | 24.84 (22.77–27.12) | <0.001 |
| FBG, mg/dL | 5.09 (4.64–5.60) | 5.10 (4.61–5.78) | 5.09 (4.63–5.70) | 0.448 |
| Uric acid, μmol/L | 262.0 (214.0–319.0) | 294.0 (240.0–356.0) | 299.5 (248.0–363.5) | <0.001 |
| TC, mg/dL | 4.82 (4.20–5.41) | 5.01 (4.38–5.62) | 5.09 (4.63–5.70) | <0.001 |
| TG, mg/dL | 1.19 (0.84–1.74) | 1.30 (0.91–2.04) | 1.35 (0.95–1.94) | <0.001 |
| HDLC, mg/dL | 1.53 (1.32–1.77) | 1.49 (1.28–1.76) | 1.49 (1.30–1.73) | 0.137 |
| LDLC, mg/dL | 2.30 (1.85–2.70) | 2.24 (1.81–2.74) | 2.31 (1.83–2.80) | 0.459 |
| non-HDLC, mg/dL | 3.26 (2.70–3.87) | 3.49 (2.82–4.09) | 3.52 (2.90–4.13) | <0.001 |
| Physical activity | <0.001 | |||
| None | 162 (9.99) | 116 (15.49) | 134 (23.26) | |
| Seldom | 1301 (80.21) | 507 (67.69) | 337 (58.51) | |
| Always | 159 (9.80) | 126 (16.82) | 105 (18.23) | |
| Income status | <0.001 | |||
| <600 | 450 (27.74) | 244 (32.58) | 235 (40.80) | |
| 600–800 | 900 (55.49) | 353 (47.13) | 255 (44.27) | |
| 800–1000 | 136 (8.38) | 73 (9.75) | 39 (6.77) | |
| >1000 | 136 (8.38) | 79 (10.55) | 47 (8.16) | |
| Current smoker, n (%) | 395 (24.35) | 228 (30.44) | 170 (29.51) | <0.001 |
| Current drinker, n (%) | 574 (35.39) | 271 (36.18) | 192 (33.33) | 0.281 |
| Medical history | ||||
| Diabetes mellitus | 22 (1.36) | 36 (4.81) | 30 (5.21) | <0.001 |
| Hypertension | 115 (7.09) | 122 (16.29) | 100 (17.36) | <0.001 |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 80 (4.93) | 85 (11.35) | 60 (10.42) | <0.001 |
| Antihypertensive medication, n (%) | 93 (5.73) | 108 (14.42) | 94 (16.32) | <0.001 |
| Antidiabetic medication, n (%) | 17 (1.05) | 30 (4.01) | 26 (4.51) | <0.001 |
| Lipid-lowering medication, n (%) | 9 (0.55) | 14 (1.87) | 10 (1.74) | <0.001 |
BMI, body mass index; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; FBG, fasting blood glucose; HDLC, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDLC, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; SBP, systolic blood pressure; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride.