Table 1.
Comparison of general characteristics between the two study groups. CAD = coronary artery disease.
| Decalogue group (n = 100) |
Control group (n = 48) |
p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 67.5 ± 15.9 | 70.6 ± 13.5 | 0.22 |
| Female gender (n) | 46 (46.0%) | 19 (38.8%) | 0.51 |
| Education level (n)∗ | 0.74 | ||
| Elementary school | 27 (27.8%) | 15 (31.3%) | |
| Middle school | 30 (30.9%) | 13 (27.1%) | |
| High school | 29 (29.9%) | 12 (25.0%) | |
| Degree | 11 (11.3%) | 8 (16.7%) | |
| Socioeconomic status (n)∗ | 0.81 | ||
| Low | 71 (73.2%) | 33 (68.8%) | |
| Intermediate | 16 (16.5%) | 10 (20.8%) | |
| High | 10 (10.3%) | 5 (10.4%) | |
| Main reason for referral (n) | 0.88 | ||
| CAD | 37 (38.0%) | 15 (31.3%) | |
| Heart failure | 30 (28.0%) | 17 (35.4%) | |
| Arrhythmias | 17 (18.0%) | 7 (14.6%) | |
| Hypertension | 7 (7.0%) | 5 (10.4%) | |
| Other | 9 (9.0%) | 4 (8.3%) | |
| Number of medications in current therapy (n) | 5 [3–7] | 5 [4–7] | 0.56 |
| Number of daily medication assumptions (n) | 6 [3–9] | 6 [4–9] | 0.67 |
| Depression (n) | 7 (7.0%) | 1 (2.3%) | 0.28 |
∗Percentages calculated on a total sample of 97 patients in the Decalogue group, due to missing data in 3 subjects.