Relationship of MMP-14 and TIMP-3 Expression with Macrophage Activation and Human Atherosclerotic Plaque Vulnerability

Table 4

Patient characteristics.

Patient characteristics	Fibrous plaques ()	Fibrous-atheromatous ()	Atheromatous plaques ()	value
Symptomatic patients (%)	22 (73%)	11 (92%)	36 (97%)	0.012*
Amaurosis fugax (%)	6 (20%)	5 (42%)	1 (3%)	0.010*
TIA (%)	12 (40%)	4 (33%)	25 (68%)
Stroke (%)	4 (13%)	2 (17%)	10 (27%)
Asymptomatic (%)	8 (27%)	1 (8%)	1 (3%)
M (♂)/F (♀)	11 ♂ 19 ♀	11 ♂ 1 ♀	34 ♂ 3 ♀	0.007*
Age mean (sd)	65 (9.6)	73 (8.1)	70 (7.7)	0.016*
Hypertension (%)	22 (73%)	10 (83%)	31 (84%)	0.540
Smoking (%)	9 (30%)	5 (42%)	13 (35%)	0.761
Diabetes (%)	5 (17%)	0 (0%)	4 (11%)	0.304
Hypercholesterolemia (%)	17 (57%)	6 (50%)	20 (54%)	0.924
Positive family history of heart disease	7 (23%)	2 (17%)	10 (27%)	0.761
History of coronary intervention (%)	7 (23%)	3 (25%)	8 (22%)	0.967
History of peripheral intervention (%)	6 (20%)	1 (8%)	10 (27%)	0.379
History of myocardial infarction	4 (13%)	3 (25%)	1 (3%)	0.064
Statins	16 (53%)	5 (42%)	26 (70%)	0.147
Oral anticoagulants	6 (20%)	4 (33%)	3 (8%)	0.098
Aspirin	18 (60%)	3 (25%)	17 (46%)	0.114
Carbasalate calcium	8 (27%)	8 (67%)	20 (54%)	0.023*
Aspirin or Carbasalate calcium	24 (80%)	9 (75%)	34 (92%)	0.237
Dipyridamole	18 (60%)	4 (33%)	22 (60%)	0.238
Clopidogrel	3 (10%)	0 (0%)	7 (19%)	0.198
Diuretics	9 (30%)	2 (17%)	11 (30%)	0.881
Beta blockers	13 (43%)	3 (25%)	18 (49%)	0.355
Calcium antagonists	6 (20%)	3 (25%)	12 (32%)	0.514
ACE inhibitors	11 (37%)	3 (25%)	12 (33%)	0.764
Angiotensin II inhibitors	5 (17%)	2 (17%)	4 (11%)	0.755
Insulin	2 (7%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.187
Oral glucose inhibitors	3 (10%)	0 (0%)	4 (11%)	1.000

.