Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the participants

Controls (n=50)First-degree relatives (n=50)Patients with CAD (n=50)
Age, years45.6±6.645.6±7.946.0±3.6
Male gender, n (%)27 (54)27 (54)27 (54)
Smoking, n (%)10 (20)19 (38)*28 (56)*
SBP, mm Hg125.2±15.6129.7±11.3130.7±18.5
DBP, mm Hg79.4±9.982.6±8.884.8±10.4*
BMI, kg/m223.0±4.423.7±3.924.4±5.0
Glucose, mmol/l5.1±0.45.2±0.75.5±0.8*
Total cholesterol, mmol/l5.0±0.85.4±0.9*4.2±1.0*
HDL-cholesterol, mmol/l1.5±0.41.4±0.41.2±0.3*
LDL-cholesterol, mmol/l3.1±0.73.5±0.9*2.2±0.7*
Triglycerides, mmol/l1.0±0.51.1±0.62.1±3.8*
Creatinine, mmol/l72.9±11.272.5±11.970.7±13.6
Hypertension, n (%)0 (0)6 (12)10 (20)*
Hypercholesterolaemia, n (%)0 (0)7 (14)*11 (22)*
Framingham risk score2.3 (1.2; 3.3)3.2 (1.2; 4.8)
Medication use
 Antihypertensive, n (%)0 (0)5 (10)46 (92)*
 Cholesterol lowering, n (%)0 (0)6 (12)46 (92)*
PWV, m/s7.5±1.28.2±1.99.6±2.9*
PWV >12 m/s, n (%)0 (0)3 (6)10 (20)*
  • Continuous data are expressed as mean±SD except for the Framingham risk score, which is expressed as median (25th; 75th percentiles), categorical data as absolute numbers with (percentages).

  • * p<0.05 compared with controls.

  • p<0.05 compared with first-degree relatives.

  • BMI, body mass index; CAD, coronary artery disease; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; PWV, pulse-wave velocity; SBP, systolic blood pressure.