Table 1.
Baseline characteristics stratified by sex
| Variable | Women (n=478) | Men (n=1265) | P Value |
| Age (years) | 74±8 | 72±9 | <0.001 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 26.7 (23.5, 31.2) | 26.9 (24.6, 30.1) | 0.35 |
| Blood pressure systolic/diastolic (mm Hg) | 138±21/78±12 | 134±18/79±12 | <0.001/0.08 |
| Smoking status, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Current | 39 (8.2) | 92 (7.3) | |
| Past | 163 (34.1) | 680 (53.8) | |
| Never | 276 (57.7) | 491 (38.9) | |
| Average alcohol intake (drinks/day) | 0.1 (0.0, 0.6) | 0.7 (0.2, 1.6) | <0.001 |
| Regular weekly physical activity, n (%) | 229 (47.9) | 617 (48.9) | 0.77 |
| Health Perception Score (0–100) * | 70±17 | 74±17 | <0.001 |
| Atrial fibrillation type, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
| Paroxysmal | 258 (54.0) | 540 (42.7) | |
| Persistent | 140 (29.3) | 406 (32.2) | |
| Permanent | 80 (16.7) | 319 (25.1) | |
| CHA2DS2-VASc score | 4.0±1.5 | 3.1±1.7 | <0.001 |
| History of diabetes, n (%) | 57 (11.9) | 220 (17.5) | 0.01 |
| History of hypertension, n (%) | 327 (68.4) | 879 (69.5) | 0.71 |
| History of heart failure, n (%) | 92 (19.3) | 287 (22.7) | 0.15 |
| History of coronary artery disease, n (%) | 60 (12.6) | 405 (32.0) | <0.001 |
| History of clinical stroke, n (%) | 70 (14.6) | 160 (12.6) | 0.31 |
| History of TIA, n (%) | 50 (10.5) | 110 (8.7) | 0.27 |
| History of major bleeding, n (%) | 28 (5.9) | 69 (5.5) | 0.83 |
| History of sleep apnoea, n (%) | 40 (8.4) | 195 (15.4) | <0.001 |
| History of renal failure, n (%) | 81 (17.0) | 236 (18.7) | 0.48 |
| History/current hormonal therapy, n (%) | 29 (6.1) | 0 (0.0) | – |
| Cardiovascular medication, n (%) | |||
| Antihypertensive medication | 433 (90.6) | 1100 (87.0) | 0.05 |
| Statins | 169 (35.4) | 662 (52.3) | <0.001 |
| Antiarrhythmics class Ic and III | 108 (22.6) | 256 (20.2) | 0.29 |
| Oral anticoagulant intake, n (%) | 432 (90.4) | 1139 (90.0) | 0.90 |
| NOAC | 276 (63.9) | 659 (57.9) | 0.04 |
| Vitamin K antagonist | 156 (36.1) | 479 (42.1) | 0.05 |
| Antiplatelet (including aspirin), n (%) | 57 (11.9) | 250 (19.8) | <0.001 |
Values are mean ± SD, median (interquartile range) or n (%). The p value compares women and male patients. CHA2DS2-VASc score was defined as follows: female sex = 1 point; age ≥65 and <75 years = 1 point; age ≥75 years = 2 points, history of stroke or TIA = 2 points; history of heart failure = 1 point; hypertension = 1 point; diabetes = 1 point; vascular disease, consisting of history of myocardial infarction, history of percutaneous coronary intervention, history of coronary artery bypass graft surgery or periphery artery disease = 1 point.
*Health perception score is a self-assessment concerning their current state of health, evaluated in a scale from 0 to 100. Missing values: blood pressure systolic (n=11), diastolic (n=11), smoking (n=2), alcohol consumption (n=2), physical activity (n=2), CHA2DS2-VASc (n=2), heart failure (n=2), TIA (n=1), sleeping apnoea (n=1), renal failure (n=1). Antihypertensive medication includes angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, beta blockers, angiotensin-1-receptor-blockers, calcium antagonists, diuretics, renin antagonists, aldosterone antagonists.
NOAC, new oral anticoagulants; TIA, transient ischaemic attack.