Table 1

Baseline characteristics

Spontaneous reperfusion (n=98)Thrombolysis (n=1163)Primary PTCA (n=102)No reperfusion (n=1019)p Value
*Missing data on creatine kinase (CK) in 4, 26, 10, and 53 patients in each group, respectively. ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; AMI, acute myocardial infarction; PTCA, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
Age (years) (mean (SD)) 63 (12) 61 (12)60 (12) 65 (13)<0.0001
Women 29 (30%)263 (23%)19 (19%)297 (29%) 0.001
Medical history
    Myocardial infarction 18 (18%)186 (16%)31 (30%)300 (29%)<0.0001
    Diabetes mellitus 21 (21%)272 (23%)28 (27%)272 (27%) 0.25
    Current smoking 48 (49%)341 (43%)49 (48%)273 (27%)<0.0001
    Hypertension 44 (45%)405 (35%)34 (33%)493 (48%)<0.0001
    Dyslipidaemia 36 (37%)336 (29%)30 (29%)289 (28%) 0.38
    Prior angina 38(39%)436 (37%)39 (38%)411 (40%) 0.60
    Angina 48 h before admission 15 (15%)110 (9 %)10 (10%) 89 (9%) 0.21
Previous medications
    β Blockers 16 (16%)155 (13%)21 (21%)164 (16%) 0.10
    Nitrates 12 (12%)263 (23%)19 (19%)233 (23%) 0.08
    Calcium channel blockers 19 (19%)215 (19%)20 (20%)217 (21%) 0.44
    Aspirin 27 (28%)283 (24%)39 (38%)277 (27%) 0.01
    ACE inhibitors 16 (16%)117 (10%)10 (10%)175 (17%) 0.0001
Time (minutes) from symptom onset to emergency room admission (median (25th to 75th centiles))136 (73–266)103 (60–175)108 (61–188)220 (105–516)<0.0001
Anterior AMI 48 (50%)526 (47%)65 (64%)426 (45%) 0.001
Q wave AMI 33 (37%)694 (65%)50 (53%)497 (51%) 0.001
Non-Q wave AMI 56 (57%)373 (32%)44 (47%)422 (44%) 0.001
Aborted AMI* (CK <250 IU) 23 (25%) 73 (6%)7 (8%)113 (12%) 0.001
CK (IU) (median (25th to 75th centiles)503 (254–818)1384 (685–2599)1519 (774–3297)751 (420–1341)<0.0001
Heart failure on admission (Killip >1) 7 (7%)187 (16%)37 (36%)282 (28%) 0.001
Admission heart rate (beats/min) (mean (SD)) 75 (14) 78 (18)86 (22) 81 (20)<0.0001
Admission systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) (mean (SD))138 (27)136 (24)128 (29)135 (27) 0.02