Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the MCI participants according to the initial serum NFL levels

Mean serum NFL, pg/ml

12.9 ± 4.0^c

21.2 ± 3.4^b

39.7 ± 15.5^a

<0.001**

Range of serum NFL

5.6-18.3

18.4-23.8

24.0-84.5

 Age, years

67.8 ± 7.0^b

72.8 ± 7.6^b

79.4 ± 6.3^a

<0.001**

 Sex, female

9 (50.0)

8 (44.4)

6 (35.3)

0.676*

 Lives alone

4 (22.2)

1 (5.6)

3 (17.6)

0.354*

 BMI, kg/m²

24.0 ± 2.4

24.2 ± 2.8

24.4 ± 2.4

0.920**

 Education, years

9.4 ± 3.6

9.3 ± 4.4

9.2 ± 4.3

0.993**

MMSE score, median (IQR)

25.0 (22.0 – 27.25)

24.0 (20.0 - 26.0)

21.0 (19.5-23.5)

0.041†

CDR score, median (IQR)

1.0 (1.0-1.0)

1.0 (1.0-1.0)

1.0 (1.0-1.0)

0.591†

CDR-SOB score, median (IQR)

1.0 (1.0-1.25)

1.0 (1.0-2.0)

2.0 (1.0-2.0)

0.129†

Gdps score, median (IQR)

8.5 (4.75-13.25)

10.0 (3.0-18.75)

9.0 (4.0-13.0)

0.727†

 Hypertension

7 (38.9)

9 (50.0)

9 (52.9)

0.677*

 Diabetes mellitus

4 (22.2)

2 (11.1)

5 (29.4)

0.618‡

 Dyslipidemia

7 (38.9)

7 (38.9)

1 (5.9)

0.045*

 Coronary artery disease

2 (11.1)

1 (5.6)

0 (0.0)

0.159‡

 Cerebrovascular disease

0 (0.0)

1 (5.6)

1 (5.9)

0.362‡

 Smoking

1 (5.6)

0 (0.0)

1 (5.9)

0.974‡

 Pill intake of more than three

10 (55.6)

10 (55.6)

9 (52.9)

0.984*

Hippocampal volume, cm³

5.1 ± 0.7^a

4.3 ± 1.4^b

4.4 ± 0.5^ab

0.033**

Cortical thickness, mm

3.01 ± 0.15

3.10 ± 0.17

3.07 ± 0.11

0.212**

Aβ positivity

7/17 (41.2)

11/17 (64.7)

8/15 (53.3)

0.389*

APOE ε4 carrier

3 (16.7)

6 (33.3)

3 (17.6)

0.928‡

Family history of dementia

5 (274.8)

6 (33.3)

5 (29.4)

0.933*

Cognitive stage transition

1 (5.6)^b

7 (38.9)^ab

11 (64.7)^a

0.001*