Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of the study participants according to HGF quartiles
| Characteristics | HGF, pg/mL | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| <1242.14 | 1242.14–1577.65 | 1577.66–2115.95 | ≥2115.96 | P value | |
| Number of subjects | 756 | 757 | 758 | 756 | |
| Demographics | |||||
| Age, years | 60.93 ± 10.05 | 61.91 ± 10.03 | 62.48 ± 11.23 | 63.53 ± 11.74 | <0.001 |
| Male | 479 (63.36) | 498 (65.79) | 486 (64.12) | 461 (60.98) | 0.272 |
| Current cigarette smoking | 261 (34.52) | 275 (36.33) | 283 (37.34) | 281 (37.17) | 0.653 |
| Current alcohol drinking | 229 (30.29) | 231 (30.52) | 263 (34.70) | 218 (28.84) | 0.081 |
| Medical history | |||||
| History of hypertension | 589 (77.91) | 593 (78.34) | 592 (78.10) | 596 (78.84) | 0.975 |
| History of CHD | 71 (9.39) | 72 (9.51) | 76 (10.03) | 94 (12.43) | 0.176 |
| History of diabetes mellitus | 117 (15.48) | 122 (16.12) | 138 (18.21) | 152 (20.11) | 0.073 |
| Family history of stroke | 132 (17.46) | 143 (18.89) | 140 (18.47) | 149 (19.71) | 0.727 |
| Clinical features | |||||
| Time from onset to hospitalization, h* | 12 (5–24) | 12 (5–24) | 10 (4–24) | 8 (4–24) | <0.001 |
| Systolic BP, mmHg | 165.84 ± 16.88 | 166.14 ± 17.28 | 166.93 ± 17.27 | 166.60 ± 16.18 | 0.609 |
| Diastolic BP, mmHg | 97.15 ± 11.00 | 96.30 ± 10.77 | 97.23 ± 10.68 | 96.20 ± 11.72 | 0.137 |
| Dyslipidemia | 400 (52.91) | 427 (56.41) | 430 (56.73) | 440 (58.20) | 0.201 |
| Blood glucose, mmol/L* | 5.70 (5.00–6.80) | 5.60 (5.00–6.90) | 5.80 (5.10–7.30) | 5.96 (5.20–7.80) | <0.001 |
| Baseline NIHSS score* | 4 (2–6) | 4 (2–7) | 5 (3–8) | 6 (3–10) | <0.001 |
| Ischemic stroke subtype† | |||||
| Thrombotic | 546 (72.22) | 564 (74.50) | 588 (77.57) | 625 (82.67) | <0.001 |
| Embolic | 18 (2.38) | 33 (4.36) | 37 (4.88) | 58 (7.67) | <0.001 |
| Lacunar | 206 (27.25) | 179 (23.65) | 160 (21.11) | 87 (11.51) | <0.001 |
| Heparin pre-treatment | 219 (29.01) | 190 (25.13) | 227 (29.95) | 401 (53.04) | <0.001 |
| Receiving immediate blood pressure reduction | 393 (51.98) | 357 (47.16) | 387 (51.06) | 375 (49.60) | 0.260 |
Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation or n (%) unless otherwise noted.
*
Data were presented as median (interquartile range).
CHD = coronary heart disease; BP = blood pressure; HGF = hepatocyte growth factor; NIHSS = National Institute of Health Stroke Scale;
†
Ten patients with both thrombotic and embolic subtypes; 68 patients with thrombotic and lacunar subtypes; 4 patients with embolic and lacunar subtypes; 1 patient with all 3 subtypes.