Table 1.
Characteristics of the chronic heart failure cohort (n = 1760) on 1 July 1993 by previous and current allopurinol (A) exposure
| Never | Recent low dose A | Long standing low dose A | Long standing high dose A | p Value | |
| Number | 1593 | 72 | 48 | 47 | |
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 68.0 (10.7) | 66.1 (9.7) | 65.4 (10.0) | 65.7 (9.2) | 0.712 |
| Mean (SD) time from first MI to 1993 (years) | 5.14 (3.81) | 5.72 (3.67) | 5.64 (3.77) | 6.71 (3.17) | 0.02 |
| Mean (SD) number of MIs before 1993 | 2.06 (1.03) | 2.47 (1.07) | 2.02 (1.02) | 2.40 (1.17) | 0.0015 |
| Men | 784 (49.2%) | 45 (62.5%) | 27 (56.3%) | 37 (78.7%) | 0.001 |
| Women | 809 (50.8%) | 27 (37.5%) | 21 (43.7%) | 10 (21.3%) | |
| Social deprivation | |||||
| 1 | 99 (6.2%) | 5 (6.9%) | 5 (10.4%) | 2 (4.3%) | 0.54 |
| 2 | 223 (14.1%) | 17 (23.6%) | 8 (16.7%) | 5 (10.6%) | |
| 3 | 373 (23.5%) | 14 (19.4%) | 10 (20.8%) | 15 (31.9%) | |
| 4 | 337 (21.2%) | 14 (19.4%) | 13 (27.1%) | 12 (25.5%) | |
| 5 | 194 (12.2%) | 5 (6.9%) | 5 (10.4%) | 5 (10.6%) | |
| 6/7 | 361 (22.8%) | 17 (23.6%) | 7 (14.6%) | 8 (17.0%) | |
| Diabetes | 102 (6.4%) | 5 (6.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (4.3%) | 0.08 |
| Loop diuretic dose | |||||
| Low | 1099 (69.0%) | 36 (50.0%) | 19 (39.6%) | 22 (46.8%) | 0.001 |
| Medium | 426 (26.7%) | 26 (36.1%) | 21 (43.8%) | 21 (44.7%) | |
| High | 68 (4.3%) | 10 (13.9%) | 8 (16.7%) | 4 (8.5%) | |
| History | |||||
| Use of NSAIDs | 85 (5.3%) | 3 (4.2%) | 5 (10.4%) | 7 (14.9%) | 0.018 |
| Use of thiazides | 76 (4.8%) | 8 (11.1%) | 2 (4.2%) | 3 (6.4%) | 0.11 |
| Respiratory illness | 481 (30.2%) | 29 (40.3%) | 20 (41.7%) | 14 (29.8%) | 0.11 |
| Renal disease | 175 (11.0%) | 6 (8.3%) | 5 (10.4%) | 5 (10.6%) | 0.92 |
| Hypertension | 95 (6.0%) | 6 (8.3%) | 5 (10.4%) | 5 (10.6%) | 0.30 |
| Drugs in concurrent use | |||||
| Aspirin | 893 (56.1%) | 46 (63.9%) | 25 (52.1%) | 24 (51.1%) | 0.46 |
| Anticoagulants | 137 (8.6%) | 15 (20.8%) | 6 (12.5%) | 7 (14.9%) | 0.002 |
| ACE inhibitors | 573 (36.0%) | 39 (54.2%) | 22 (45.8%) | 20 (42.6%) | 0.007 |
| β Blockers | 298 (18.75%) | 39 (54.2%) | 6 (12.5%) | 11 (23.4%) | 0.49 |
| Nitrates | 1092 (68.6%) | 54 (75.0%) | 31 (64.6%) | 36 (76.6%) | 0.38 |
| Digoxin | 357 (22.45%) | 31 (43.1%) | 13 (27.1%) | 12 (25.5%) | 0.001 |
| K+ sparing diuretics | 980 (61.5%) | 39 (54.2%) | 23 (47.9%) | 31 (66.0%) | 0.14 |
| Antiarrhythmics | 65 (4.1%) | 7 (9.7%) | 1 (2.1%) | 1 (2.1%) | 0.09 |
*χ2 test for association. ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; MI, myocardial infarction; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.