Table 1

Baseline characteristics of the total study population and according to predicted 15-year ARR of major cardiovascular events, colorectal cancer, non-colorectal cancer, and major gastrointestinal bleeding with aspirin treatment

Total study population
(n=27 939)
<0% predicted ARR
(n=18 524)
≥0% and <1% predicted ARR
(n=8943)
≥1% predicted ARR
(n=472)
Age (years)54.7±752.3±559.0±764.9±7
Age >65 years2968 (11)582 (3)2130 (24)256 (54)
Caucasian ethnicity26 401 (95)17 664 (95)8526 (95)441 (93)
Current smoking3252 (12)818 (4)2220 (25)217 (46)
Past smoking10 239 (37)7399 (40)2750 (31)98 (21)
Never smoking14 424 (52)10 307 (56)3973 (44)157 (33)
Alcohol use (≥1 drink/week)11 327 (41)8012 (43)3184 (36)133 (28)
Peri- or postmenopausal20 210 (72)11 609 (63)8173 (91)465 (99)
Hormone replacement therapy use14 353 (51)9336 (50)4819 (54)219 (46)
Body mass index (kg/m2)25.9±5.025.4±4.726.9±4.928.1±5.2
High density lipoprotein (mg/dL)53.7±15.056.5±14.448.3±13.141.8±11.4
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)211.8±41.8204.5±37.9225.1±40.8234.3±40.4
High sensitivity C-reactive protein (mg/L)2.0 [0.8–4.4]1.5 [0.6–3.5]3.1 [1.5–5.8]5.3 [2.7–8.6]
Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)124±14118±10134±13148±14
Blood pressure lowering medication use3739 (13)812 (4)2640 (30)292 (62)
Lipid lowering medication use893 (3)319 (2)516 (6)58 (12)
Diabetes mellitus685 (2)35 (0)425 (5)227 (48)
Family history of premature CHD3959 (14)2177 (12)1753 (20)93 (20)
Family history of cancer*4966 (18)3205 (17)1701 (19)101 (21)
History of dyspepsia2575 (9)1836 (10)703 (8)36 (8)
Randomised to aspirin use13 976 (50)9239 (50)4498 (50)239 (51)
15-year predicted risk (%) of:
 Major cardiovascular events1.78 [0.96–3.70]1.17 [0.77–1.77]4.95 [3.45–7.58]26.91 [22.11–33.59]
 Colorectal cancer0.81 [0.50–1.28]0.64 [0.43–0.96]1.27 [0.84–1.88]1.85 [1.27–2.55]
 Non-colorectal cancer9.72 [8.29–11.84]9.09 [7.94–10.63]11.50 [9.51–14.05]14.51 [12.09–16.87]
 Major gastrointestinal bleeding1.01 [0.75–1.51]0.85 [0.68–1.14]1.53 [1.10–2.18]2.91 [2.22–3.67]
  • Data are presented as mean ±SD, median [IQ] or n (%).

  • A weight of 0.25 was applied for major gastrointestinal bleeding when calculating the predicted total ARR.

  • *History of breast, colorectal or ovarian cancer in a parent or sibling. Data in first column represent data before imputation of missing values, whereas data in the other columns are based on imputed data.

  • ARR, absolute risk reduction; CHD, coronary heart disease.