Table 1. Baseline patient characteristics of subjects with the composite endpoint compared to those without the endpoint; differences in the observations were assessed using the Student’s t-test, Pearson’s Chi-square test of proportions, or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate at a 5% significance level. .
CAC: coronary artery calcification; ACEi: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; ARBs: aldosterone receptor blockers; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus
| Variable | Overall (n = 1,354) | No composite endpoint (n = 824 (60.9%)) | Composite endpoint occurred (n = 530 (39.1%)) | p-value | Test statistic |
| Age (mean ± SD), years | t-test | ||||
| At first CAC report | 71.5 ± 12.1 | 71.0 ± 12.1 | 72.3 ± 12.1 | 0.06 | -1.88 |
| At the end of the study/death | 75.6 ± 12.1 | 75.2 ± 12.2 | 76.3 ± 12.1 | 0.06 | -1.87 |
| Age category | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | χ 2 test | |
| Less than 73 years | 698 (51.5) | 438 (53.2) | 260 (49.1) | 0.14 | 2.17 |
| 73 years and above | 656 (48.5) | 386 (46.8) | 270 (50.9) | ||
| Sex | |||||
| Female | 541 (39.7) | 351 (42.6) | 190 (35.9) | 0.01 | 6.12 |
| Male | 813 (60.0) | 473 (57.4) | 340 (64.1) | ||
| Comorbid conditions | |||||
| Atrial fibrillation/flutter | 491 (36.3) | 268 (32.5) | 223 (42.1) | <0.001 | 12.73 |
| Alcohol use | 410 (30.3) | 259 (31.4) | 151 (28.5) | 0.25 | 1.32 |
| Cancer | 411 (30.3) | 255 (30.9) | 156 (29.4) | 0.56 | 0.35 |
| Chronic renal failure | 524 (38.7) | 283 (34.3) | 241 (45.5) | <0.001 | 16.83 |
| COPD | 523 (38.6) | 309 (37.5) | 214 (40.4) | 0.29 | 1.13 |
| Diabetes | 545 (40.2) | 300 (36.4) | 245 (46.2) | <0.001 | 12.93 |
| Heart failure | 419 (30.9) | 210 (25.5) | 209 (39.4) | <0.001 | 29.37 |
| HIV | 9 (0.7) | 8 (1.0) | 1 (0.2) | 0.1 | 2.99 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 778 (57.5) | 412 (50) | 336 (69.1) | <0.001 | 47.92 |
| Hypertension | 1,071 (79.1) | 625 (75.8) | 446 (84.1) | <0.001 | 13.44 |
| Illicit drug use | 56 (4.1) | 29 (3.5) | 27 (5.1) | 0.16 | 2.02 |
| Lupus | 12 (0.9) | 7 (0.8) | 5 (0.9) | 1 | 0.03 |
| Obesity | 316 (23.3) | 205 (24.9) | 111 (20.9) | 0.09 | 2.79 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 238 (17.6) | 86 (10.4) | 152 (28.7) | <0.001 | 74.08 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 47 (3.5) | 31 (3.8) | 16 (3) | 0.47 | 0.53 |
| Sleep apnea | 225 (16.6) | 127 (15.4) | 98 (18.5) | 0.14 | 2.21 |
| Tobacco use | 868 (64.1) | 521 (63.2) | 347 (65.5) | 0.4 | 0.71 |
| Chronic medications | |||||
| ACEi/ARBs | 810 (59.8) | 443 (53.8) | 367 (69.2) | <0.001 | 32.17 |
| Anticoagulants | 504 (37.2) | 269 (32.6) | 235 (44.3) | <0.001 | 18.87 |
| Antiplatelets | 826 (61.0) | 411 (49.9) | 415 (78.3) | <0.001 | 109.54 |
| Beta-blockers | 837 (61.8) | 434 (52.7) | 403 (76.0) | <0.001 | 74.62 |
| Calcium channel blockers | 565 (41.7) | 326 (39.6) | 239 (45.1) | 0.04 | 4.06 |
| Colchicine | 37 (2.7) | 20 (2.4) | 17 (3.2) | 0.39 | 0.74 |
| Lipid-lowering therapy | 855 (63.1) | 435 (52.8) | 420 (79.2) | <0.001 | 96.99 |
| Metformin | 252 (18.6) | 140 (17.0) | 112 (21.1) | 0.56 | 3.65 |
| Methotrexate | 17 (1.3) | 9 (1.1) | 8 (1.5) | 0.62 | 0.45 |
| Spironolactone | 187 (13.8) | 104 (12.6) | 83 (15.7) | 0.11 | 2.50 |