Table 1 Main clinical data of patients with unstable angina included in the study and of patients excluded from the Holter study.
| Study patients (n = 543) | Excluded patients (n = 143) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 65.2 (10) | 67.0 (10) | 0.06 |
| Age >70 | 201 (37%) | 61 (43%) | 0.25 |
| Men | 356 (66%) | 86 (60%) | 0.27 |
| CAD risk factors | |||
| Active smoking | 133 (25%) | 28 (20%) | 0.26 |
| Systemic hypertension | 294 (54%) | 65 (45%) | 0.08 |
| Family history of CAD | 221 (41%) | 54 (38%) | 0.59 |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 258 (48%) | 80 (56%) | 0.09 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 103 (19%) | 33 (23%) | 0.33 |
| Previous AMI | 181 (33%) | 39 (27%) | 0.20 |
| Type of unstable angina | |||
| De novo | 210 (39%) | 52 (36%) | 0.68 |
| Worsening | 309 (57%) | 81 (57%) | 0.97 |
| Post‐AMI | 24 (4%) | 8 (6%) | 0.71 |
| Preadmission angina ⩾20 min | 252 (46%) | 70 (49%) | 0.65 |
| Drug treatment in the coronary care unit* | |||
| β blocking agents | 348 (65%) | 89 (65%) | 0.95 |
| Calcium antagonists | 356 (66%) | 93 (68%) | 0.72 |
| Nitrates | 519 (97%) | 123 (90%) | 0.004 |
| Antiplatelet agents | 513 (96%) | 128 (94%) | 0.64 |
| Heparin/LMWH | 449 (84%) | 96 (71%) | 0.006 |
| ACE inhibitors | 226 (42%) | 67 (49%) | 0.16 |
| Statins | 153 (29%) | 37 (27%) | 0.85 |
| Troponin I >0.4 ng/ml | 168 (32%) | 28 (21%) | 0.022 |
| C reactive protein >3 mg/l | 335 (63%) | 83 (64%) | 0.76 |
| STd >0.5 mm at basal ECG | 86 (16%) | NA | NA |
| TMI on Holter monitoring | 135 (25%) | NA | NA |
Age data are mean (SD).
*Drug treatment, troponin I and C reactive protein available for 537, 528 and 532 patients included in the study and for 136, 130 and 130 patients excluded from the study, respectively.
ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; AMI, acute myocardial infarction; CAD, coronary artery disease; LMWH, low molecular weight heparin; NA, not applicable; STd, ST segment depression; TMI, transient myocardial ischaemia.