Table 1.
Characteristics of three study panels.
| Characteristic | Amsterdam (n = 33)a | Erfurt (n = 44)a | Helsinki (n = 45)a |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex/female [no. (%)] | 11 (34) | 4 (9) | 21 (47) |
| Mean age (range) | 70.9 (54–83) | 64.3 (40–78) | 68.2 (54–83) |
| Obeseb [no. (%)] | 7 (19) | 7 (15) | 16 (34) |
| Past myocardial infarction [no. (%)] | 22 (69) | 30 (68) | 27 (60) |
| Angina pectoris [no. (%)] | 21 (66) | 24 (55) | 29 (64) |
| CABG or PTCA conducted [no. (%)] | 17 (53) | 31 (70) | 23 (51) |
| Daily beta-blocker medication [no. (%)] | 13 (39) | 34 (77) | 31 (69) |
| Ca2+ channel blockers [no. (%)] | 11 (30) | 18 (38) | 13 (28) |
| Statins [no. (%)] | 12 (32) | 20 (43) | 21 (45) |
| ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers [no. (%)] | 12 (32) | 25 (53) | 10 (21) |
| ASA [no. (%)] | 22 (59) | 36 (77) | 36 (77) |
| Meanc SDNN (SD), msec | |||
| Beta-blocker users | 46.7 (17.8) | 29.9 (8.8) | 35.3 (10.7) |
| Nonusers | 40.0 (11.9) | 41.2 (12.1) | 38.8 (11.7) |
| Meanc HF (SD), msec2 | |||
| Beta-blocker users | 414 (289) | 280 (237) | 600 (376) |
| Nonusers | 504 (307) | 547 (396) | 629 (409) |
Abbreviations: CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; PTCA, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
a
Number of patients available for analyses.
b
Obese = body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2.
c
Average of individual means and SDs.