After adjusting for confounding factors (age, SBP, DBP, BMI, HbA1c, total cholesterol, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, ACEI, and ARB) in our multiple regression analysis, these women were still found to be at increased risk of progressing to more severe DN (p = 0.008, OR 3.082) but not the men (p = 0.183, OR 0.586).
After adjustments for baseline albuminuria and renal function, age, sex, diabetes duration and use of renin-angiotensin antagonists, poorer control of blood glucose (HR 1.17; 95% CI 0.98, 1.40; p = 0.09 for each 1 SD increment in mean first-year HbA<sub>1c</sub>), higher ambulatory systolic BP (HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.09, 1.50; p = 0.003, for each 1 SD increase in daytime systolic BP [SBP]) and increased aortic stiffness (HR 1.16; 95% CI 1.00, 1.34; p = 0.05) were independent predictors of development or progression of DKD.
VVV of SBP is a significant risk factor of DKD among T2DM patients on top of mean and max BP values, which provides additional significant predictive information.