Table 2 Baseline characteristics of the CU participants according to the initial serum NFL levels

Mean serum NFL, pg/ml

11.9 ± 2.6^c

19.1 ± 2.3^b

37.2 ± 13.8^a

<0.001**

Range of serum NFL, pg/ml

6.2 – 15.0

15.1 – 22.6

22.7 – 77.8

 Age, years

63.2 ± 6.4^b

69.2 ± 7.3^a

71.3 ± 7.3^a

<0.001**

 Sex, female

36 (73.5)

30 (61.2)

24 (50.0)

0.059*

 Lives alone

7 (14.3)

7 (14.3)

7 (14.6)

0.999*

 BMI, kg/m²

24.2 ± 2.6

25.0 ± 3.5

24.5 ± 2.8

0.469**

 Education, years

12.9 ± 3.8^a

10.7 ± 5.3^ab

8.8 ± 5.3^b

<0.001**

MMSE score, median (IQR)

28.0 (27.0 – 29.0)^a

28.0 (25.5 - 29.0)^a

21.0 (19.5-23.5)^b

<0.001†

CDR score, median (IQR)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.372†

CDR-SOB score, median (IQR)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.045†

Gdps score, median (IQR)

7.0 (3.5-12.5)

6.0 (2.5-10.5)

8.0 (4.25-14.0)

0.241†

 Hypertension

16 (32.7)

24 (49.0)

26 (56.5)

0.057*

 Diabetes mellitus

4 (8.2)

6 (12.2)

12 (25.0)

0.054*

 Dyslipidemia

18/48 (37.5)

22 (44.9)

21/46 (45.7)

0.673*

 Coronary artery disease

1 (2.0)

3 (6.1)

4 (8.3)

0.174‡

 Cerebrovascular disease

1 (2.0)

1 (2.0)

5 (10.4)

0.055‡

 Smoking

2 (4.1)

0 (0.0)

3 (6.3)

0.565‡

 Pill intake of more than three

40 (81.6)^a

27 (55.1)^b

24 (50.0)^b

0.003*

Hippocampal volume, cm³

5.2 ± 0.9

5.0 ± 0.7

5.0 ± 0.8

0.365**

Cortical thickness, mm

3.13 ± 0.12^a

3.10 ± 0.14^ab

3.04 ± 0.16^b

0.007**

Aβ positivity

6/45 (13.3)

11/45 (24.4)

7/45 (15.6)

0.345*

APOE ε4 carrier

11 (22.4)

11 (22.4)

9 (18.8)

0.877*

Family history of dementia

15 (30.6)

10 (20.4)

12 (25.0)

0.508*

Cognitive stage transition

1 (2.0)^b

6 (12.2)^ab

9 (18.8)^a

0.029*