Table 2. Baseline Characteristics For Patients With And Without LVSD.
| Risk factor | Normal LV (n = 70) | LVSD (n = 30) | p-value |
| Mean age (years) | 69 | 69 | NS |
| Male gender | 42 (60) | 20 (66.7) | 0.04 |
| Symptoms | 25 (36) | 13 (43) | NS |
| TIA | 30 (43) | 10 (33) | NS |
| Stroke | 17 (24) | 7 (23) | NS |
| PVD | 23 (33) | 13 (043) | NS |
| MI/IHD | 17 (24) | 16 (53) | 0.008 |
| DM | 7 (10) | 7 (23) | NS |
| Hypertension | 29 (41) | 12 (40) | NS |
| Smoker | 54 (77) | 26 (86) | NS |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 30 (43) | 13 (43) | NS |
| ACE inhibitors | 6 (9) | 10 (33) | 0.01 |
| Diuretics | 10 (14) | 11 (36) | 0.024 |
| Beta-blockers | 15 (21) | 2 (7) | 0.038 |
| Statins | 20 (29) | 7 (23) | NS |
| Aspirin | 41 (59) | 24 (80) | 0.011 |
| BNP (pmol/l) | 51 (5.5) | 95.7 (16) | 0.01 |
| Mean SBP (mmHg) | 158 (2.8) | 167 (5.5) | NS |
| Mean HR beats/min) | 78 (1.7) | 72 (2.6) | NS |
LV: left ventricle, LVSD: left ventricular systolic dysfunction, NS: not significant (p > 0.05), TIA: transient ischaemic attack, PVD: peripheral vascular disease, MI: myocardial infarction, IHD: ischaemic heart disease, DM: diabetes mellitus, ACE: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, BNP: brain natriuretic peptide, SBP: systolic blood pressure, HR: heart rate.