*2.5. Statistical Analysis*

The data were processed with Microsoft Excel 2020 spreadsheet and analysed with Statistica Data Miner C QC PL package. Normal distribution of quantitative variables was checked with the Shapiro–Wilk W-test. As none of the variables was distributed normally, they were analysed using non-parametric tests; the significance of the differences between two groups was verified with the Mann–Whitney U-test, and multiple groups were compared using Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA and appropriate post hoc tests. The associations between the pairs of quantitative variables were analysed based on the Spearman's coefficients of rank correlation. The results of all tests were considered significant at *p* < 0.05.
