Table I.
Patient characteristics and laboratory parameters (baseline)
| Item | IG (n = 100) | CG (n = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, years, median (SD) | 70 (15) | 69 (13) |
| Female | 42 (42) | 49 (49) |
| Reason for sternotomy, n (%) | ||
| Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) | 48 (48) | 45 (45) |
| Heart valve surgery | 44 (44) | 50 (50) |
| Aortic surgery | 4 (4) | 2 (2) |
| Other | 4 (4) | 3 (3) |
| Analgesic medication, n (%) | 88 (88) | 91 (91) |
| Metamizole | 35 (35) | 26 (26) |
| NSAID | 33 (33) | 42 (42) |
| Opioids | 31 (31) | 35 (35) |
| Pain, VAS, median (SD) | 47.6 (14.1) | 39.7 (10.3) |
| Metamizole, drops, median (SD) | 20.25 (33.30) | 12.50 (24.37) |
| TNF-α, pg/mL, median (SD) | 20.5 (6.7) | 18.1 (4.4) |
| IL-6, pg/mL, median (SD) | 2.1 (1.6) | 1.9 (1.1) |
| VC, %, median (SD) | 57.74 (15.23) | 59.41 (14.70) |
| FEV1, %, median (SD) | 62.89 (17.75) | 63.81 (16.15) |
| HeartQoL, median (SD) | 2.18 (0.41) | 2.23 (0.37) |
IG: intervention group; CG: control group; SD: standard deviation; VAS: visual analogue scale; TNF-α: tumour-necrosis-factor alpha; IL-6: interleukin 6; VC: vital capacity; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; HeartQoL: heart quality of life questionnaire.