Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients
| Stenting group (n=853) | Endarterectomy group (n=857) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 70 (9) | 70 (9) | |
| Sex (male) | 601 (70%) | 606 (71%) | |
| Vascular risk factors | |||
| Treated hypertension | 587 (69%) | 595 (69%) | |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 147 (24) | 146 (24) | |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 79 (12) | 78 (13) | |
| Cardiac failure | 23 (3%) | 47 (5%) | |
| Angina in past 6 months | 83 (10%) | 77 (9%) | |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 151 (18%) | 156 (18%) | |
| Previous CABG | 109 (13%) | 116 (14%) | |
| Atrial fibrillation | 57 (7%) | 59 (7%) | |
| Other cardiac embolic source | 19 (2%) | 16 (2%) | |
| Type 2 diabetes mellitus | 134 (16%) | 147 (17%) | |
| Type 1 diabetes mellitus | 50 (6%) | 40 (5%) | |
| Peripheral artery disease | 139 (16%) | 136 (16%) | |
| Current smoker | 205 (24%) | 198 (23%) | |
| Ex-smoker | 408 (48%) | 424 (49%) | |
| Treated hyperlipidaemia | 522 (61%) | 562 (66%) | |
| Cholesterol (mmol/L) | 4·8 (1·3) | 4·9 (1·3) | |
| Degree of symptomatic carotid stenosis* | |||
| 50–69% | 92 (11%) | 76 (9%) | |
| 70–99% | 761 (89%) | 781 (91%) | |
| Degree of contralateral stenosis* | |||
| <50% | 565 (66%) | 561 (65%) | |
| 50–69% | 128 (15%) | 142 (17%) | |
| 70–99% | 105 (12%) | 110 (13%) | |
| Occluded | 49 (6%) | 37 (4%) | |
| Unknown | 6 (1%) | 7 (1%) | |
| Most recent ipsilateral event† | |||
| Amaurosis fugax | 148 (17%) | 142 (17%) | |
| Transient ischaemic attack | 273 (32%) | 303 (35%) | |
| Ischaemic hemispheric stroke | 393 (46%) | 376 (44%) | |
| Retinal infarction | 26 (3%) | 23 (3%) | |
| Unknown | 13 (2%) | 13 (2%) | |
| Event <6 months before randomisation | 826 (97%) | 816 (95%) | |
| Event 6–12 months before randomisation‡ | 27 (3%) | 36 (4%) | |
| Multiple ipsilateral symptoms before randomisation | 330 (39%) | 317 (37%) | |
| Ipsilateral stroke before most recent ipsilateral event | 131 (15%) | 106 (12%) | |
| Modified Rankin score at randomisation | |||
| 0–2 | 756 (89%) | 744 (87%) | |
| 3–5§ | 81 (9%) | 99 (12%) | |
| Unknown | 16 (2%) | 14 (2%) | |
Data are number (%) or mean (SD). CABG=coronary artery bypass graft.
*
Degree of stenosis measured by North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial2 method at randomisation centre.
†
If two events were reported on the same day, the more serious of the two was counted (stroke>retinal infarction>transient ischaemic attack>amaurosis fugax).
‡
In three patients the event was more than 12 months before randomisation and in two the date was unknown.
§
Some Rankin scores of 3 or more were caused by non-stroke disability.