Table 1 Baseline Characteristics of Participants in Placebo and Crocin Groups

Age^a (y)

62.68 ± 9.84

63.86 ± 10.62

0.72

Men, No (%)

11 (57.90)

12 (57.14)

0.96

Duration of diabetes^a (y)

11.11 ± 7.48

13.20 ± 3.27

0.28

BMI^a (kg/m²)

27.26 ± 3.34

27.21 ± 3.86

0.97

 SBP

148.20 ± 22.45

150.25 ± 18.08

0.31

 DBP

75.33 ± 12.31

81.44 ± 16.46

0.25

 Migraine

0 (0.0)

1 (4.8)

0.33

 Depression

1 (5.3)

0 (0.0)

0.29

 Asthma

1 (5.3)

0 (0.0)

0.29

 Dyslipidemia

16 (84.2)

19 (90.5)

0.55

 Rheumatoid Arthritis

2 (10.5)

4 (19.0)

0.45

 Hypothyroidism

0 (0.0)

2 (9.5)

0.17

 ACEIs/ARB

17 (89.5)

19 (90.5)

0.92

 β-blocker

7 (36.8)

8 (38.1)

0.93

 CCB

6 (31.6)

5 (23.8)

0.58

 Insulin

8 (42.1)

10 (47.6)

0.73

 Biguanide

14 (73.7)

16 (76.2)

0.85

 Sulfonylurea

7 (36.8)

9 (42.9)

0.70

 Lipid-lowering Agent

16 (84.2)

19 (90.5)

0.55

 Antiplatelet Agent

11 (57.9)

14 (66.7)

0.57

 Others

13 (68.4)

10 (47.6)

0.58

 FBS^a (mg/dL)

136.58 ± 57.17

140.52 ± 36.71

0.79

 Serum TC^a (mg/dL)

157.89 ± 58.85

133.24 ± 29.49

0.79

 Serum TG^a (mg/dL)

143.52 ± 63.89

157.89 ± 84.69

0.55

 Serum HDL-C^a (mg/dL)

48.68 ± 14.61

41.62 ± 9.93

0.08

 Serum LDL-C^a (mg/dL)

79.21 ± 53.38

64.51 ± 23.44

0.26

 BUN^a (mg/dL)

45.06 ± 12.34

47.32 ± 27.83

0.75

 HbA1c^a (%)

7.32 ± 1.04

6.87 ± 0.67

0.11

 SCr^b (mg/dL)

1.10 ± 0.40

1.20 ± 0.40

0.89

 ESR^b (mm/hr)

17.50 ± 18.00

17.00 ± 28.00

0.92

 CRP^b (mg/dL)

5.00 ± 0.00

5.00 ± 0.50

0.06

 Urine micro albumin^b (mg/dL)

181.00 ± 318.80

185.0 ± 232.5

0.51

 uACR^b (mg/g)

186.85 ± 240.8

161.00 ± 250.8

0.88

 eGFR^b (mL/min/1.73 m2)

58.00 ± 39.25

61.00 ± 20.00

0.98

 Serum TGF-β² (ng/mL)

16.93 ± 1.98

17.10 ± 0.80

0.64