Table 2 Comparison of characteristics and baseline cardiovascular risk factor measurements of participants recruited from the RoI and NI
VariableRoI*NI*RoI, n (%)NI, n (%)p ValueDifference (95% CI)
Male gender588315423 (71.9)208 (66.0)0.065.9 (−0.4 to 12.3)
Age, years (mean (SD)†58831568.2 (9.7)66.2 (9.3)0.0032.0 (0.7 to 3.3)
Completed secondary education576297190 (33.0)134 (45.1)<0.001−12.1 (−18.9 to −5.3)
Non-manual occupation436222236 (54.1)116 (52.3)0.651.9 (−6.1 to 9.9)
Years since CHD diagnosed (mean (SD))545127.9 (6.2)8.9 (7.0)0.03−1.0 (−2.0 to −0.1)
History of MI58815305 (51.9)148 (47.0)0.164.9 (−2.0 to 11.6)
History of angina588315537 (91.3)267 (84.8)0.0036.6 (2.2 to 11.4)
History of diabetes58631590 (15.4)70 (22.2)0.01−6.9 (−12.5 to −1.6)
Blood glucose level ever recorded588315478 (81.3)234 (74.3)0.017.0 (1.4 to 12.9)
Record of PTCA58715226 (38.5)49 (15.6)<0.00122.9 (17.1 to 28.3)
Record of CABG587315196 (33.4)42 (13.3)<0.00120.1 (14.5 to 25.2)
Distance from hospital, miles (mean (SD))47926717.6 (17.3)7.1 (7.5)<0.00110.5 (8.8 to 12.3)
Blood pressure
    Systolic BP >140 mm Hg58514217 (37.1)88 (28.0)0.019.1 (2.6 to 15.2)
    Diastolic BP >90 mm Hg58731477 (13.1)34 (10.8)0.322.3 (−2.3 to 6.6)
    Mean systolic BP, mm Hg (SD)579314138.9 (22.5)132.2 (19.3)<0.0016.6 (3.8 to 9.4)
    Mean diastolic BP, mm Hg (SD)57931479.8 (11.6)77.4 (11.5)0.0042.4 (0.8 to 4.0)
    Last recorded systolic BP >140 mm Hg570314186 (32.6)83 (26.4)0.066.2 (−0.2 to 12.2)
    Last recorded diastolic BP >90 mm Hg57031425 (4.4)8 (2.5)0.171.8 (−0.9 to 4.2)
    BP record in past year587315520 (88.6)305 (96.8)<0.001−8.2 (−11.4 to −4.8)
Cholesterol
    Total cholesterol >5.0 mmol/l571289138 (24.2)50 (17.3)0.026.9 (1.0 to 12.2)
    Mean total cholesterol, mmol/l (SD)5712894.4 (1.0)4.3 (0.8)0.040.1 (0.01 to 0.2)
    Cholesterol recorded in previous year587315398 (67.8)280 (88.9)<0.001−21.1 (−26.0 to −15.7)
    Previous record total cholesterol >5.0 mmol/l523309159 (30.4)58 (18.8)<0.00111.6 (5.6 to 17.3)
Waist–hip ratio
    WHR, mean (SD)5793120.9 (0.1)0.9 (0.1)0.010.01 (0.004 to 0.03)
    WHR >0.9 male; >0.7 female579312521 (90.0)281 (90.1)0.97−0.1 (−4.0 to 4.3)
Body mass index
    BMI, mean (SD)58731228.6 (4.8)29.1 (5.3)0.12−0.5 (−1.2 to 0.2)
    BMI >25587312471 (80.2)255 (81.7)0.59−1.5 (−6.7 to 4.1)
    BMI >27.5587312316 (53.8)179 (57.4)0.31−3.5 (−10.3 to 3.3)
  • *Number of valid responses; †range 29–95 years.

  • BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; CHD, coronary heart disease; MI, myocardial infarction; NI, Northern Ireland; PTCA, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; RoI, Republic of Ireland; WHR, waist–hip ratio.