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. 2016 Mar 22;19(2):233–240. doi: 10.1093/europace/euw052

Table 1.

Demographics and baseline characteristics

Treatment group
Total (n = 100) P-value
Vernakalant (n = 49) Ibutilide (n = 51)
Baseline characteristics
 Male, n (%) 34 (69.4) 34 (66.7) 68 0.832
 Age (year), mean (SD) 56.2 (14.32) 56.7 (15.77) 56.5 (15.00) 0.873
 Weight (kg), mean (SD) 87.6 (16.57) 87.0 (15.21) 87.3 (15.81) 0.847
 No previous episode of AF, n (%) 21 (42.9) 15 (29.4) 36 0.212
 1–5 previous episodes of AF, n (%) 15 (30.6) 22 (43.1) 37 0.211
 6–10 previous episodes of AF, n (%) 7 (14.3) 7 (14.3) 14 1.000
 >10 previous episodes of AF, n (%) 5 (10.2) 5 (10.2) 10 1.000
 History of at least one previous pharmacological cardioversion, n (%) 12 (24.5) 21 (41.2) 33 0.091
 History of at least one previous electrical cardioversion, n (%) 15 (30.6) 17 (33.3) 32 0.832
 Paroxysmal AF, n (%) 8 (16.3) 6 (11.8) 14 0.573
 Persistent AF, n (%) 20 (40.8) 30 (58.8) 50 0.109
 Median duration of current AF (h), mean (SD) 10.9 (9.9) 8.7 (6.2) 9.7 (8.25) 0.797
 AF duration ≤24 h, n (%) 43 (87.8) 50 (98.0) 93 0.057
Medical history, n (%)
 Hypertension 30 (61.2) 36 (70.6) 66 0.400
 Diabetes 5 (10.2) 6 (11.8) 11 1.000
 Dyslipidaemia 24 (49) 21 (41.2) 45 0.547
 Smoking or previous smoking 17 (34.7) 18 (35.3) 35 0.791
 Hypothyreosis 6 (12.2) 6 (11.8) 11 0.760
 Hyperthyreosis 1 (2.0) 1 (2.0) 2 1.000
 Previous ablation/PVI 2 (4.1) 7 (13.7) 9 0.160
 Coronary heart disease 3 (6.1) 4 (7.8) 7 1.000
Scores, n (%)
 NYHA I 42 (85.7) 49 (96.1) 91 0.105
 NYHA II 6 (12.2) 2 (3.9) 8 0.160
 EHRA ≤2 38 (77.6) 40 (78.4) 78 1.000
 EHRA >2 11 (22.4) 11 (21.6) 22 1.000
 CHA2DS2VASc (mean, IQR) 1.7 (1–2) 1.8 (1–3) 1.8 (1–2) 0.665
Regular oral medication, n (%)
 β-Blockers 23 (46.9) 29 (56.9) 52 0.423
 Digitalis glycosides 2 (4.1) 1 (2.0) 3 0.614
 Amiodarone 4 (8.2) 1 (2.0) 5 0.200
 Sotalol 1 (2.0) 3 (5.9) 4 0.618
 ACE inhibitors or ARBs 26 (53.1) 29 (56.9) 55 0.841
 Thyroid hormone substitution 6 (12.2) 6 (11.8) 12 1.000

Values are patients, n (%). β-Blockers: oral non-selective and selective β-blockers (excluding sotalol) and α- and β-blocking agents (e.g. carvedilol); digitalis glycosides: digoxin and digitoxin.

AF, atrial fibrillation; ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; ARBs, angiotensin II receptor blockers; EHRA, European Heart Rhythm Association; IQR, interquartile range; NYHA, New York Heart Association; PVI, pulmonary vein isolation; SD, standard deviation.