Comparing baseline and latest follow-up data for 186 patients with T2D advised on a low-carbohydrate diet, with breakdown into two subgroups; 94 patients who achieved remission and 92 patients who did not
| Baseline measure median (IQR) | Latest follow-up median (IQR) | Difference Mean (SD) | P value | Matched pairs n (%) | |
| 1. Cohort of 186 T2D participants who chose a low-carbohydrate diet mean (SD) duration of diet: 33 (27) months mean (SD) time from diagnosis to diet start: 64 (69) months | |||||
| Age (years) | 63 (54–73) | – | – | – | – |
| Weight (kg) | 97 (84–109) | 86 (76–99) | −10 (8.9) | <0.001 | 181 (97) |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol) | 63 (54–80) | 46 (42–53) | −21 (19) | <0.001 | 183 (98)* |
| Serum cholesterol (mmol/L) | 4.9 (4.1–5.7) | 4.3 (3.6–5.0) | −0.5 (0.9) | <0.001 | 107 (58) |
| HDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 1.1 (1.0–1.3) | 1.2 (1.0–1.5) | +0.1 (0.3) | 0.002 | 114 (61) |
| Total chol/HDL ratio | 4.0 (3.0–5.0) | 3.9 (3.0–4.4) | 0.5 (0.9) | <0.001 | 102 (58) |
| Calculated LDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 3.6 (2.9–4.5) | 3.1 (2.5–3.6) | −0.5 (0.9) | <0.001 | 100 (54) |
| Triglyceride (mmol/L) | 2.1 (1.4–3.2) | 1.4 (1.0–1.9) | −0.9 (1.2) | <0.001 | 108 (58) |
| Systolic BP (mm Hg) | 140 (134–150) | 132 (122–138) | −12 (16) | <0.001 | 128 (69) |
| Diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 80 (78–90) | 78 (70–80) | −5.8 (9.7) | <0.001 | 128 (69) |
| 2. Cohort of 94 T2D participants achieving remission mean (SD) duration of diet: 35 (31) months Mean (SD) time from diagnosis to diet start: 43 (65) months | |||||
| Age (years) | 63 (54–72) | – | – | – | – |
| Weight (kg) | 96 (84–111) | 83 (74–100) | −12 (9.2) | <0.001 | 90 (96) |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol) | 54 (50–62) | 43 (39–45) | −17 (15) | <0.001 | 91 (97)* |
| Serum cholesterol (mmol/L) | 5.0 (4.0–5.4) | 4.2 (3.6–5.1) | −0.4 (1.0) | 0.002 | 48 (51) |
| HDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 1.1 (1.0–1.3) | 1.3 (1.0–1.6) | +0.2 (0.3) | <0.001 | 51 (54) |
| Total chol/HDL ratio | 4.2 (3.1–5.0) | 4.0 (3.0–4.4) | −0.5 (0.9) | 0.001 | 46 (49) |
| Calculated LDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 3.6 (2.8–4.1) | 3.1 (2.5–3.6) | −0.5 (1.1) | 0.001 | 43 (46) |
| Triglyceride (mmol/L) | 1.9 (1.3–3.0) | 1.3 (0.9–1.7) | −0.9 (1.3) | <0.001 | 46 (49) |
| Systolic BP (mm Hg) | 140 (136–155) | 132 (121–140) | −14 (18) | <0.001 | 63 (67) |
| Diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 80 (78–90) | 76 (70–80) | −7 (10) | <0.001 | 63 (67) |
| 3. Cohort of 92 T2D participants not achieving remission mean (SD) duration of diet: 31 (23) months Mean (SD) time from diagnosis to diet start: 84 (68) months | |||||
| Age (years) | 62 (55–73) | add data | – | – | – |
| Weight (kg) | 97 (86–108) | 89 (79–99) | −8.6 (8.4) | <0.001 | 91 (99) |
| HbA1c (mmol/mol) | 75 (65–91) | 54 (49–60) | −24 (21) | <0.001 | 92 (100) |
| Serum cholesterol (mmol/L) | 4.8 (4.2–5.8) | 4.3 (3.6–4.8) | −0.5 (0.9) | <0.001 | 59 (64) |
| HDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 1.2 (1.0–1.3) | 1.1 (1.0–1.4) | 0.0 (0.2) | 0.315 | 63 (68) |
| Total chol/HDL ratio | 4.0 (3.0–5.1) | 3.8 (2.9–4.6) | 0.5 (1.0) | <0.001 | 56 (61) |
| Calculated LDL cholesterol (mmol/L) | 3.5 (2.9–4.7) | 3.1 (2.4–3.7) | −0.6 (0.8) | <0.001 | 57 (62) |
| Triglyceride (mmol/L) | 2.2 (1.6–3.2) | 1.6 (1.1–2.4) | −0.8 (1.2) | <0.001 | 62 (67) |
| Systolic BP (mm Hg) | 140 (132–149) | 132 (124–138) | −11(13) | <0.001 | 65 (71) |
| Diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 80 (76–85) | 78 (70–80) | −4.1 (8.9) | <0.001 | 65 (71) |
*HbA1c is known for all participants at latest follow-up for classification as ‘in remission’, however, baseline HbA1c is not known for three participants.
BP, blood pressure; HbA1c, Glycated Haemoglobin; HDL, High-Density Lipoprotein; LDL, Low-Density lipoprotein ; T2D, type 2 diabetes.