Table 1.
Baseline demographics and clinical features of the intention-to-treat population.
| Variable | ALC group (34 patients) | Placebo group (35 patients) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean ± SD | 65.24 ± 12.89 | 70.37 ± 13.58 | 0.11 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.25 ± 2.96 | 25.29 ± 3.31 | 0.28 |
| Sex (M/F), n (%) | 19/15 (55.9/44.1) | 13/22 (37.1/62.9) | 0.15 |
| Prevalence of risk factors | |||
| Smokers, n (%) | 17 (50.0) | 13 (31.7) | 0.33 |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 24 (70.6) | 23 (65.7) | 0.79 |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 10 (29.4) | 11 (31.4) | 1.00 |
| CAD, n (%) | 11 (32.4) | 6 (17.1) | 0.17 |
| Hypercholesterolemia, n (%) | 11 (32.4) | 6 (17.1) | 0.17 |
| Other factors, n (%) | 10 (29.4) | 7 (20.0) | 0.41 |
| SBP (mmHg), mean ± SD | 153.24 ± 34.96 | 153.43 ± 26.34 | 0.97 |
| DHP (mmHg), mean ± SD | 87.35 ± 16.75 | 84.00 ± 11.16 | 0.33 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dl), mean ± SD | 196.26 ± 21.21 | 192.40 ± 18.36 | 0.42 |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dl), mean ± SD | 135.32 ± 25.49 | 129.57 ± 18.08 | 0.28 |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dl), mean ± SD | 39.97 ± 4.6 | 41.02 ± 4.99 | 0.36 |
| TG (mg/dl), mean ± SD | 156.41 ± 21.34 | 148.74 ± 21.76 | 0.14 |
| FBS (mg/dl), mean ± SD | 106.82 ± 28.03 | 112.62 ± 25.06 | 0.36 |
| Medications prior to stroke | |||
| Antiplatelet treatment, n (%) | 18 (52.9) | 12 (34.3) | 0.14 |
| ACEI treatment, n (%) | 16 (47.1) | 19 (54.3) | 0.63 |
| ARB treatment, n (%) | 9 (26.5) | 6 (17.1) | 0.31 |
| Beta-blocker treatment, n (%) | 12 (35.3) | 10 (28.6) | 0.61 |
| CCB treatment, n (%) | 9 (26.5) | 7 (20.0) | 0.57 |
| Diuretic treatment, n (%) | 6 (17.6) | 7 (20.0) | 1.00 |
| Insulin with oral antidiabetic treatment, n (%) | 7 (20.6) | 4 (11.4) | 0.34 |
| Oral antidiabetic treatment, n (%) | 9 (26.5) | 7 (20.0) | 0.57 |
| Statin treatment, n (%) | 18 (52.9) | 20 (57.1) | 0.81 |
| Anticoagulant treatment, n (%) | 6 (17.6) | 5 (14.3) | 0.75 |
| Cause of stroke | |||
| Atheromatosis, n (%) | 16 (47.1) | 15 (42.9) | 0.95 |
| Embolus, n (%) | 7 (20.6) | 7 (20.0) | |
| Lacunar infract, n (%) | 5 (17.4) | 6 (17.1) | |
| Other causes, n (%) | 3 (8.8) | 2 (5.7) | |
| Undetermined, n (%) | 3 (8.8) | 5 (14.3) | |
| Time to treatment after onset of stroke (h), mean ± SD | 8 : 31 ± 8 : 57 | 9 : 42 ± 11 : 41 | 0.63 |
Note: ALC = acetyl-L-carnitine; BMI = body mass index; SD = standard deviation; DHP = diastolic blood pressure; CAD = coronary artery disease; SBP = systolic blood pressure; HDL = high-density lipoprotein; TG = triglycerides; LDL = low-density lipoprotein; ACEI = angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; FBS = fasting blood sugar; ARB = angiotensin II receptor blockers.