Longitudinal Study on Low-Dose Aspirin versus Placebo Administration in Silent Brain Infarcts: The Silence Study
Table 1
Baseline demographical and clinical characteristics of the study population (n=83) and bivariate comparison between patients treated and not treated. given as median (interquartile range). All other data are reported as absolute number of subjects (%).
ASA
Controls
p value
n=36
n=47
Demographic characteristics
Female sex
24 (66.7)
33 (70.2)
0.730
Age
66 (54-72)
68 (60-73)
0.429
Education ≥9 years
11 (32.4)
18 (42.9)
0.582
Body Mass Index
0.551
25-30
18 (50.0)
13 (27.6)
≥30
6 (16.7)
9 (19.1)
Risk factors
Arterial hypertension
17 (47.2)
29 (61.7)
0.188
Diabetes mellitus
1 (2.8)
1 (2.1)
1.000
Hypercholesterolemia
26 (72.2)
29 (61.7)
0.315
Hypertriglyceridemia
8 (22.2)
5 (10.6)
0.150
Current smoking
6 (16.7)
7 (14.9)
0.826
Previous smoking habit
11 (30.6)
10 (21.3)
0.335
Excessive Alcohol consumption
9 (25.0)
11 (23.4)
0.866
Hyperhomocysteinemia
6 (16.7)
12 (25.5)
0.077
Carotid atheroma
3 (8.3)
1 (2.1)
0.312
Medical history
History of atrial fibrillation
1 (2.8)
-
0.434
Ischemic Heart Disease
1 (2.8)
-
0.434
Heart failure
-
-
-
Migraine with aura
4 (11.1)
2 (4.3)
0.396
Migraine without aura
7 (19.4)
12 (25.5)
0.513
Treatments
Statins
6 (16.7)
7 (14.9)
0.826
Fibrate
1 (2.8)
-
0.434
ACE inhibitors
13 (36.1)
3 (6.4)
0.001
ARB
6 (16.7)
15 (31.9)
0.113
Beta-blockers
6 (16.7)
5 (10.6)
0.422
Calcium channel blockers
3 (8.3)
10 (21.3)
0.135
Diuretics
8 (22.2)
11 (23.4)
0.899
Anti-arrhythmic
-
1 (2.1)
1.000
Oral hypoglycaemic
-
2 (4.3)
0.503
Insulin
-
-
-
Nitrated
2 (5.6)
-
0.185
Lesion location
Basal ganglia
5 (13.9)
11 (23.4)
0.276
Cerebellum
2 (5.6)
2 (4.3)
1.000
Brainstem
3 (8.3)
10 (21.3)
0.135
Sub-cortical
29 (80.6)
39 (83.0)
0.776
Peri-ventricular
23 (63.9)
32 (68.1)
0.689
Leukoaraiosis
12 (33.3)
19 (40.4)
0.508
Cortical atrophy
12 (33.3)
12 (25.5)
0.437
Sub-cortical atrophy
10 (27.8)
6 (12.8)
0.086
Right side
31 (86.1)
43 (91.5)
0.492
Left side
34 (94.4)
4 (89.4)
0.693
Cognitive and behavioural tests
ADL score
6 (6-6)
6 (6-6)
0.862
IADL score
8 (8-8)
8 (8-8)
0.134
MMSE score
29 (27-30)
29 (27-30)
0.874
BDI score
3,5 (1,75-7)
5 (1-7)
0.917
HDRS score
11 (14-15,5)
13 (9-14,5)
0.284
MADRS score
6 (2,5-10,5)
8 (3-12,5)
0.299
IQ-code score
81 (78,5-85,5)
81,5 (79-87)
0.476
ACE inhibitors: Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme inhibitors; ARB: Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers; ADL: Activities of Daily Living; IADL: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living; MMSE: Mini-Mental State Examination; BDI: Beck Depression Inventory; HDRS: Hamilton Depression rating Scale; MADRS: Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale; IQ-code: Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly.