| Methods |
Randomised trial with concurrent eligible patients outside of the RCT. The non‐RCT patients were not in the RCT because of patient refusal (28%) and physician refusal (69% patients were not invited) but were followed up in a register. Patients with mild or moderate stable angina pectoris or free of angina but with a documented history of myocardial infarction, both sexes <65 years of age. Outcomes were assessed by cardiologists. The RCT lost 1 patient to follow up, and 10 patients were lost in the nonrandomized groups in total. |
| Data |
Characteristics of non‐RCT patients presented and compared to RCT patients who received the same treatment. Surgery RCT patients were mean 52 (7) years, 353 male and 37 female. Surgery non‐RCT patients were mean 51 (8) years, 518 male and 52 female. |
| Comparisons |
Two RCT arms, each of them were compared with similarly treated eligible non‐RCT patients. Experimental: coronary artery bypass surgery. Control: medically treated patients were given medication only. |
| Outcomes |
Clinical outcomes were assessed in all the patients. Patients were followed for an average of 10 years. Main outcome was 5 year mortality. |
| Notes |
The two RCT treatment arms were not statistically different. |
