Table 1: Baseline characteristics of study patients.

 

Policosanol

 (n = 200)

Placebo

 (n = 200)

Total

(n = 400)

Age (years) (X ± DE)

46.3 ± 9.3

46.3 ± 8.5

46.3 ± 9.9

Body mass index (kg/m2) (X ± SD)

26.6 ± 4.6

26.6 ± 4.5

26.6 ± 4.6

Gender

n

%

n

%

n

%

Women

148

74.0

148

74.0

296

74.0

Men

52

26.0

52

26.0

104

26.0

Pre-hypertensive patients

100

50.0

100

50.0

200

50.0

Patients with grade I hypertension

100

50.0

100

50.0

200

50.0

Personal history

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overweight (kg/m2 ≥ 25, < 30)

74

37.0

74

37.0

148

37.0

Menopause

53

26.5

58

29.0

111

27.8

Sedentary life

42

21.0

51

25.5

93

23.3

Smoking

34

17.0

39

19.5

73

18.3

Obesity (kg/m2 ≥ 30)

30

15.0

32

16.0

68

15.5

Salt rich diet

24

12.0

24

12.0

48

12.0

Dyslipidaemia

26

13.0

21

10.5

47

11.8

Diabetes mellitus

10

5.0

7

3.5

17

4.3

Family history

 

Hypertension

164

82

161

80.5

325

81.3

Cardiovascular disease

67

33.5

71

35.5

138

34.5

Concomitant drug therapy

 

 

 

Patients consuming concomitant drug

50

25

48

24

98

24.5

Antihistamines

8

4.0

6

3.0

14

3.5

Oral hypoglycemic

6

3.0

4

2.0

10

2.5

Paracetamol/NSAIDs*

4

2.0

4

2.0

8

2.0

X mean, SD standard deviation, NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

The table includes those concomitant drugs consumed ≥ 4 participants

All comparisons were not significant (ANOVA, χ2 test)