The transition from uncomplicated to complicated diabetes remained highly significant ( p < .001, d = 0.802), indicating that complication development is accompanied by a substantial further acceleration in AGE accumulation (59.4% increase beyond uncomplicated T2DM).
Compared with healthy controls (median 5.99 AU), AGEs showed a trend in impaired glucose tolerance (7.22 AU; Cohen’s d = 0.425; uncorrected p = .037, corrected p = .094), significant increases in uncomplicated diabetes (9.81 AU; d = 1.027, p < .001) and complicated diabetes (13.35 AU; d = 1.540, p < .001), with no elevation in isolated hyperlipidaemia (5.86 AU; p = .987).