Table 1.
Clinical characteristics
| FAST II (n = 169) | FASTER I (n = 310) | Combined (n = 479) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
| Age (years) | 67 (58–75) | 65 (57–76) | 66 (57–75) |
| Male gender | 112 (66) | 200 (65) | 312 (65) |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | |||
| Hypertension | 80 (47) | 119 (38) | 199 (42) |
| Diabetes | 27 (16) | 53 (17) | 80 (17) |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 47 (28) | 123 (40) | 170 (35) |
| Previous or current smoking | 101 (60) | 186 (60) | 287 (60) |
| Previous cardiovascular disease | |||
| Angina pectoris >1 month | 77 (46) | 124 (40) | 201 (42) |
| Previous revascularization | 50 (30) | 89 (29) | 139 (29) |
| Previous MI | 65 (38) | 97 (31) | 162 (34) |
| Heart failure | 31 (18) | 47 (15) | 78 (16) |
| ECG on admission | |||
| ST-segment depression | 22 (16) | 54 (21) | 76 (19) |
| T-wave inversion | 42 (30) | 46 (18) | 88 (22) |
| LBBB | 9 (5) | 12 (4) | 21 (4) |
| Q-wave | 22 (13) | 37 (12) | 59 (12) |
| Any abnormal ECG | 93 (55) | 149 (48) | 242 (51) |
| Biomarker levels | |||
| cTnI ≥0.1 µg/L within 2 h | 59 (35) | 102 (33) | 161 (34) |
| NT-proBNP (ng/L) | 222 (86–836) | 174 (62–655) | 190 (75–740) |
| C-reactive protein (mg/L) | 1.87 (0.91–4.65) | 2.35 (1.29–5.62) | 2.09 (0.98–4.93) |
| Cystatin C (mg/L) | 1.07 (0.94–1.27) | 1.18 (1.08–1.33) | 1.15 (1.03–1.32) |
| Index diagnosis | |||
| Acute MI | 44 (26) | 100 (32) | 144 (30) |
| Unstable angina | 21 (12) | 63 (20) | 84 (18) |
| Other cardiac disease | 40 (24) | 12 (4) | 52 (11) |
| Non-cardiac disease | 17 (10) | 14 (5) | 31 (6) |
| Unspecified chest pain | 47 (28) | 121 (39) | 168 (35) |
Data are presented as absolute number (percentage) or median (inter-quartile range). Analysis of ST-segment changes was based on 402 patients without confounding ECG findings, i.e. left bundle branch block (LBBB) or pacing.