Table 2.
Baseline characteristics according to age.
| Younger (<55 years; n = 53) | Older (≥55 years; n = 55) | Significance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female gender, n (%) | 10 (19) | 11 (20) | 0.882 |
| BMI, mean (SD), kg/m2 | 29.4 (4.5) | 28.6 (4.7) | 0.344 |
| Days from myocardial infarction, median (Q1–Q3) | 90 (70–112) | 84 (67–102) | 0.271 |
| STEMI, n (%) | 35 (66) | 31 (56) | 0.303 |
| PCI LAD, n (%) | 32 (60) | 22 (40) | 0.034 |
| Preserved LV EF, n (%) | 39 (74) | 40 (73) | 0.920 |
| Regional contraction disturbances, n (%) | 41 (77) | 38 (69) | 0.332 |
| Arterial hypertension, n (%) | 36 (68) | 43 (78) | 0.229 |
| Dyslipidaemia, n (%) | 31 (58) | 37 (67) | 0.345 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 4 (7) | 4 (7) | 0.957 |
| Family history of CVD, n (%) | 27 (51) | 17 (31) | 0.034 |
| Smoker, n (%) | 30 (57) | 18 (33) | 0.013 |
| VO2peak, mean (SD), ml/kg/min | 23.2 (6.4) | 21.2 (5.1) | 0.082 |
| Beta stiffness, mean (SD) | 8.1 (2.5) | 9.0 (2.3) | 0.044 |
| PWV, mean (SD), m/s | 6.3 (0.9) | 6.7 (0.9) | 0.018 |
| FMD, mean (SD), % | 5.5 (5.2) | 3.8 (4.5) | 0.079 |
| Vigorous physical activity, n (%) | 15 (28) | 11 (20) | 0.601 |
| Moderate physical activity, n (%) | 26 (49) | 30 (54) | |
| Low physical activity, n (%) | 12 (23) | 14 (25) |
BMI, body mass index; Q1–Q3, interquartile range; STEMI, ST segment elevation myocardial infarction; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; LAD, left anterior descending artery; LV EF, left ventricular ejection fraction; CVD, cardiovascular disease; HR, heart rate; VO2peak, peak rate of oxygen consumption; PWV, pulse wave velocity; and FMD, flow-mediated dilation.