| Characteristics | Immediate PCI (n = 73) | Deferred PCI (n = 69) | p Value |
| Demographics | |||
| Male sex | 51 (70) | 51 (74) | 0.6 |
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 63 (12) | 62 (12) | 0.8 |
| Risk factors | |||
| Age >60 years | 41 (56) | 34 (49) | 0.4 |
| Known CAD | 27 (37) | 25 (36) | 0.6 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 14 (19) | 14 (20) | 1.0 |
| Hypertension | 39 (53) | 23 (33) | 0.03 |
| Smoking | 28 (38) | 27 (39) | 0.8 |
| Family history of IHD | 32 (44) | 29 (42) | 0.8 |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 28 (38) | 22 (32) | 0.6 |
| Peripheral artery disease | 5 (7) | 3 (4) | 0.7 |
| Cardiac history | |||
| Previous MI | 15 (21) | 18 (26) | 0.5 |
| Previous PCI | 20 (27) | 13 (19) | 0.2 |
| Previous CABG | 8 (11) | 1 (1) | 0.02 |
| Previous CHF | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 0.3 |
| ACS characteristics | |||
| Time (h) | |||
| Onset symptoms until admission, median (IQR) | 3.0 (1.0–4.0) | 3.0 (1.0–7.8) | 0.6 |
| Admission until randomisation, median (IQR) | 2.0 (0.5–3.6) | 1.8 (0.5–3.4) | 0.4 |
| Inclusion by | |||
| ST depression >0.1 mV | 38 (52) | 36 (52) | 1.0 |
| Troponin at admission >0.01 ng/l | 34 (47) | 31 (45) | 0.8 |
| Clinical characteristics only | 19 (26) | 21 (30) | 0.6 |
| Braunwald classification | |||
| 1B | 9 (12) | 13 (19) | |
| 2B | 14 (19) | 16 (23) | 0.2 |
| 3B | 49 (67) | 38 (55) | |
| 3C | 1 (1) | 2 (3) | |
| Coronary angiography characteristics | |||
| Number of diseased vessels | |||
| 1 | 30 (41) | 37 (54) | |
| 2 | 33 (45) | 22 (32) | 0.3 |
| 3 | 10 (14) | 9 (13) | |
| Target coronary artery | |||
| LAD | 27 (37) | 33 (48) | |
| LM | 1 (1) | 0 | |
| RCA | 25 (34) | 18 (26) | 0.1 |
| LCX | 16 (22) | 18 (26) | |
| SVG | 4 (5) | 0 | |
| TIMI flow | |||
| 0–2 | 14 (19) | 25 (36) | 0.02 |
| 3 | 59 (81) | 44 (64) | |
| Chest pain at time of CAG | 10 (14) | 10 (14) | 0.7 |
| PCI characteristics | |||
| No PCI performed | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | |
| Culprit lesions PCI | 73 (100) | 68 (99) | 0.5 |
| More lesions treated | 21 (29) | 16 (23) | 0.4 |
| Drug-eluting stent | 66 (90) | 57 (83) | 0.3 |
| Number of stents placed | |||
| 0 | 4 (5) | 4 (6) | |
| 1 | 49 (67) | 45 (65) | 0.4 |
| >2 | 20 (27) | 20 (29) | |
| TIMI flow after PCI | |||
| 0–2 | 4 (5) | 4 (6) | 1.0 |
| 3 | 69 (95) | 64 (93) | |
| Complete revascularisation | 51 (70) | 54 (78) | 0.3 |
| Medication at admission | |||
| Aspirin | 36 (49) | 32 (46) | 0.7 |
| Clopidogrel | 5 (7) | 4 (6) | 0.8 |
| ACE inhibitors | 13 (18) | 15 (22) | 0.5 |
| ATII blockers | 11 (15) | 7 (10) | 0.4 |
| β Blockers | 34 (47) | 29 (42) | 0.5 |
| Calcium channel antagonists | 18 (25) | 8 (12) | 0.08 |
| Nitrates | 17 (23) | 11 (16) | 0.3 |
| Statins | 33 (45) | 25 (36) | 0.2 |
| Medication first 48 h | |||
| Aspirin | 73 (100) | 67 (97) | 0.1 |
| Clopidogrel | 73 (100) | 68 (99) | 0.3 |
| ACE inhibitors | 25 (34) | 29 (42) | 0.3 |
| ATII blockers | 11 (15) | 4 (6) | 0.08 |
| β Blockers | 70 (96) | 66 (96) | 0.3 |
| Calcium channel antagonists | 21 (29) | 14 (20) | 0.2 |
| Nitrates | 58 (79) | 59 (86) | 0.3 |
| Statins | 71 (97) | 66 (96) | 0.6 |
| UFH during PCI | 73 (100) | 69 (100) | 1.0 |
| Heparin (LMWH) | 69 (95) | 65 (94) | 0.9 |
| GP IIb/IIIa inhibition | 71 (97) | 64 (93) | 0.2 |
| Abciximab | 70 (96) | 63 (91) | |
| Tirofiban | 1 (1) | 1 (1) |
Data are expressed as number (%) unless stated otherwise.
ACS, acute coronary syndrome; ATII, angiotensin II; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; CAD, coronary artery disease; CAG, coronary angiography; CHF, congestive heart failure; GP, glycoprotein; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; LAD, left anterior descending; LCX, left circumflex; LM, left main; LMWH, low molecular weight heparin; MI, myocardial infarction; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; RCA, right coronary artery; SVG, saphenous vein graft; TIMI, thrombolysis in myocardial infarction; UFH, unfractionated heparin.