Table 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Variable | Pre-hospital rule-out strategy N = 434 | ED rule-out strategy N = 429 |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean ± SD | 53.7 (13.1) | 53.2 (12.5) |
| Female sex N (%) | 247 (56.9) | 248 (57.8) |
| HEAR score, median (IQR) | 3 (2–3) | 3 (2–3) |
| History score,a median (IQR) | 0 (0–1) | 1 (0–1) |
| ECG score,a median (IQR) | 0 (0–0) | 0 (0–0) |
| History of atherosclerotic disease N (%) | 34 (7.8) | 23 (5.4) |
| Hypertension N (%) | 85 (19.6) | 71 (16.6) |
| Diabetes mellitus N (%) | 22 (5.1) | 14 (3.3) |
| Current smoker N (%) | 112 (25.8) | 110 (25.6) |
| Hypercholesterolaemia N (%) | 37 (8.5) | 35 (8.2) |
| Family history positive N (%) | 155 (35.7) | 152 (35.4) |
| BMI ≥30 kg/m2N (%) | 86 (19.8) | 80 (18.6) |
| Onset of symptoms >24 h N (%) | 130 (30.0) | 123 (28.7) |
| Onset of symptoms <24 h N (%) | 304 (70.0) | 306 (71.3) |
| Onset (h) of symptoms (if onset < 24 h), mean ± SD | 7.1 (5.2) | 6.8 (5.3) |
| Elevated troponin N (%) | 18 (4.1) | 24 (5.6) |
| Heart rate (bpm), mean ± SD | 77.9 (13.2) | 77.4 (13.4) |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg), mean ± SD | 146.0 (20.5) | 145.1 (21.2) |
BMI, body mass index; Bpm, beats per minute; ECG, electrocardiogram; ED, emergency department; h, hours; HEAR score, History, ECG, Age and Risk factors score; IQR, interquartile range; SD, standard deviation.
a
According to the HEAR score.