Statistical Methods
Continuous variables, represented as mean ± standard deviation, were compared using unpaired t -tests or one-way analysis of variance, as appropriate. Categorical data, expressed as frequencies and percentages, were compared using chi-square tests. All tests were 2-sided, and a p value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The statistical analyses were performed using JMP11 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA).