Table I.

Patient characteristics

Parameter	Stenosis < 90% (n = 170)	Stenosis ≥ 90% (n = 101)	Value of p
Age [years]
Mean ± SD	69 ±8	68 ±10	0.99
Range	46-86	49-89
Men	56%	65%	0.16
Angina pectoris	20%	24%	0.54
Dyspnoea, NYHA class > 1	34%	36%	0.79
Previous myocardial infarction	37%	25%	0.04
Current smokers	42%	43%	1.00
Hypertension	89%	91%	0.67
Total plasma cholesterol [mmol/l; mg/dl]	4.2 ±0.9; 162.5 ±34.8	4.6 ±1.2; 178 ±46.4	0.01
LDL cholesterol [mmol/l; mg/dl]	2.4 ±0.8; 92.9 ±31	2.7 ±0.9; 104.5 ±34.8	0.03
HDL cholesterol [mmol/l; mg/dl]	1.1 ±0.3; 42.6 ±11.6	1.1 ±0.4; 42.6 ±15.5	0.81
Plasma triglyceride [mmol/l; mg/dl]	1.7 ±0.9; 148.8 ±78.8	1.9 ±1.3; 166.3 ±113.8	0.24
Diabetes mellitus	38%	48%	0.13
Renal insufficiency	20%	23%	0.64
Severe bronchopulmonary disease	12%	14%	0.71
Peripheral arterial disease	28%	24%	0.41
Left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%	10%	12%	0.54
History of coronary artery bypass grafting	19%	15%	0.51
Need of open heart surgery within 30 days	9%	15%	0.16
Previous coronary artery intervention	32%	31%	0.79
Known multivessel coronary artery disease	42%	34%	0.19
Previous stroke	36%	39%	0.80
Cerebral ischaemic symptoms in the last month (per procedure)	15%	29%	< 0.01
Cerebral ischaemic symptoms in the last 6 months (per procedure)	26%	37%	0.05
Patients with ≥ 1 risk factors	86%	85%	0.86