Table 1.

Baseline clinical characteristics

	Conventional angioplasty (n=92)	Direct stenting (n=89)	p Value
Mean (SD) age (years)	61.7 (9.9)	61.4 (11.8)	0.89
Male sex	76 (82.6%)	72 (80.1%)	0.77
Current smoking status	23 (25.0%)	26 (29.2%)	0.52
Hypertension	47 (51.1%)	40 (44.9%)	0.41
Diabetes mellitus	11 (11.9%)	12 (13.5%)	0.78
Hypercholesterolaemia	39 (42.4%)	43 (48.3%)	0.42
Previous MI	15 (16.3%)	19 (21.3%)	0.39

Current smoking is defined as ≥10 cigarettes per day. Hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg, or both. Hypercholesterolaemia is defined as cholesterol >5.2 mmol/l or high density lipoprotein cholesterol <0.9 mmol/l or low density lipoprotein cholesterol >3.9 mmol/l. MI, myocardial infarction.