Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study patients
| Characteristics | Aliskiren/HCTZ (n = 193) | Ramipril (n = 193) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 55.4 ± 11.2 | 54.4 ± 10.9 | 0.38 |
| Age group, n (%) | |||
| <65 years | 150 (77.7) | 157 (81.3) | |
| ≥65 years | 43 (22.3) | 36 (18.7) | |
| Gender, n (%) | 0.41 | ||
| Male | 86 (44.6) | 94 (48.7) | |
| Female | 107 (55.4) | 99 (51.3) | |
| Race, n (%) | 0.33 | ||
| Caucasian | 120 (62.2) | 123 (63.7) | |
| Black | 60 (31.1) | 64 (33.2) | |
| Asian | 2 (1.0) | 0 | |
| Other | 11 (5.7) | 6 (3.1) | |
| Weight, kg | 101.1 ± 18.4 | 100.6 ± 15.7 | 0.79 |
| BMI | 35.6 ± 4.5 | 35.1 ± 4.3 | 0.30 |
| Metabolic syndrome, n (%) | 138 (71.5) | 132 (68.4) | 0.45 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 42 (21.8) | 35 (18.1) | 0.38 |
| Prior medication1, n (%) | 139 (72) | 138 (68.5) | |
| ACEI | 44 (22.8) | 47 (24.4) | |
| β-blocker | 25 (13.0) | 20 (10.4) | |
| Dihydropyridine CCB | 20 (10.4) | 21 (10.9) | |
| Thiazide diuretic | 32 (16.6) | 28 (14.5) | |
| ARB | 28 (14.5) | 34 (17.6) | |
| ACEI/diuretic combination | 3 (1.6) | 2 (1.0) | |
| ARB/diuretic combination | 22 (11.4) | 17 (8.8) | |
| ACEI/CCB combination | 4 (2.1) | 8 (4.1) | |
| msSBP, mmHg | 167.2 ± 7.1 | 168.2 ± 7.8 | 0.16 |
| msDBP, mmHg | 94.6 ± 8.8 | 96.2 ± 8.5 | 0.07 |
Data are expressed as means (SD) unless stated otherwise. Metabolic syndrome was defined as 2 or more of the following symptoms: waist circumference ≥102 cm for men or ≥88 cm for women; triglycer-ides ≥150 mg/dl; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol <40 mg/dl for men or <50 mg/dl for women, and fasting glucose ≥100 and <126 mg/dl. Diabetes was defined as a clinical history of diabetes or treatment for diabetes. CCB = Calcium channel blocker.
1
Within 30 days of randomization.