Intraplaque Expression of C-Reactive Protein Predicts Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Severe Atherosclerotic Carotid Artery Stenosis

Table 1

Clinical characteristics of the overall cohort at admission.

	Overall cohort ()
Demographics
Age, yr. (IQR)	72 (67.0–77.5)
Males, number (%)	136 (62.7)
Systolic BP, mmHg (IQR)	135 (130–143.75)
Diastolic BP, mmHg (IQR)	80 (80–90)
Waist circumference, cm (IQR)	90 (87–97)
Carotid stenosis, % (IQR)	80 (70.0–85.0)
Hypertension, number (%)	157 (72.4)
Active smokers, number (%)	54 (24.9)
Previous smokers, number (%)	93 (42.9)
Type 2 diabetes, number (%)	42 (19.4)
Dyslipidaemia, number (%)	125 (57.6)
Chronic CAD^†, number (%)	41 (18.9)
Medications
RAAS^‡ inhibitors, number (%)	109 (50.2)
ACE-I, number (%)	13 (6.0)
ARBs, number (%)	96 (44.2)
β-Blockers, number (%)	59 (27.2)
Calcium antagonists, number (%)	67 (30.9)
Diuretics, number (%)	28 (12.9)
Statins, number (%)	114 (52.5)
Antiplatelet drugs, number (%)	221 (82.2)
Aspirin, number (%)	129 (59.4)
Thienopyridine, number (%)	51 (23.5)
Anticoagulants (heparin), number (%)	11 (5.1)
Oral antidiabetics, number (%)	28 (12.9)
Insulin, number (%)	8 (3.7)

Data are expressed as median (interquartile range [IQR]) or number (percentages [%]).
BP: blood pressure.
^†CAD: coronary artery disease.
^‡RAAS: renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
ACE-I: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.
ARBs: angiotensin receptor blockers.