Baseline characteristics, demographics, and distribution of covariates
| Characteristic | SCD cases n=926 | Controls n=9832 | OR* (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | |||
| Male | 574 (62.0) | 6319 (64.3) | |
| Female | 352 (38.0) | 3513 (35.7) | |
| Age in years, mean (SD) | 71.7 (13.7) | 66.1 (13.6) | |
| ≤55 | 121 (13.1) | 2145 (21.8) | |
| 55–65 | 145 (15.7) | 2147 (21.8) | |
| 66–75 | 248 (26.8) | 2818 (28.7) | |
| >75 | 412 (44.5) | 2722 (27.7) | |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Ischaemic cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease | 273 (29.5) | 1448 (14.7) | 2.0 (1.7 to 2.3) |
| Arrhythmia | 83 (9.0) | 553 (5.6) | 1.3 (1.0 to 1.7) |
| Hypertension | 364 (39.3) | 3005 (30.6) | 1.3 (1.1 to 1.5) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 169 (18.3) | 833 (8.5) | 2.3 (1.9 to 2.8) |
| Heart failure | 162 (17.5) | 397 (4.0) | 4.0 (3.2 to 5.0) |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 137 (14.8) | 1085 (11.0) | 1.7 (1.3 to 2.0) |
| Smoking | 197 (21.3) | 2024 (20.6) | 1.3 (1.1 to 1.5) |
| Alcohol abuse | 22 (2.4) | 84 (0.9) | 3.5 (2.1 to 5.9) |
| Concomitant medication | |||
| QT prolonging drugs | 50 (5.4) | 188 (1.9) | 1.7 (1.2 to 2.4) |
| Antiarrhythmic drugs | 15 (1.6) | 76 (0.8) | 1.9 (1.0 to 3.5) |
| Digoxin | 76 (8.2) | 221 (2.2) | 3.2 (2.4 to 4.4) |
| Diuretics | 168 (18.1) | 597 (6.1) | 3.3 (2.7 to 4.1) |
| Calcium channel blockers | 87 (9.4) | 604 (6.1) | 1.4 (1.1 to 1.7) |
| β-blockers | 141 (15.2) | 1082 (11.0) | 1.4 (1.1 to 1.7) |
Data are expressed as number (%) unless otherwise indicated.
*ORs matched for age, gender, practice, and calendar time.
SCD, sudden cardiac death.