Altered heart rate variability and pulse-wave velocity after spinal cord injury

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with or without spinal cord injury

	SCI (n = 60)	Non-SCI (n = 60)	P value
Age, yr	49.92 ± 11.61	45.93 ± 13.99	0.09
Sex
Male	45 (75.0%)	15 (25.0%)	< 0.001a
Female	15 (25.0%)	45 (75.0%)
Education level
Elementary school	2 (3.3%)	1 (1.7%)	< 0.001a
Junior high school	6 (10.0%)	0 (0.0%)
Senior high/vocational school	32 (53.3%)	6 (10.0%)
Five-year junior college	6 (10.0%)	6 (10.0%)
University	14 (23.3%)	21 (35.0%)
Graduate school	0 (0.0%)	26 (43.3%)
Occupation
Freelancer	37 (61.7%)	0 (0.0%)	< 0.001a
Teacher	1 (1.7%)	17 (28.3%)
Public servant	1 (1.7%)	15 (25.0%)
Service industry	4 (6.7%)	10 (16.7%)
Others	17 (28.3%)	18 (30.0%)
Marital status
Unmarried	27 (45.0%)	20 (33.3%)	0.01a
Married/cohabiting	24 (40.0%)	37 (61.7%)
Divorced	8 (13.3%)	1 (1.7%)
Widowed	1 (1.7%)	2 (3.3%)
Religion
None	13 (21.7%)	22 (36.7%)	0.14
Taoism/Buddhism	24 (40.0%)	24 (40.0%)
Christianity/Catholicism	14 (23.3%)	6 (10.0%)
Folk belief	9 (15.0%)	8 (13.3%)
Comorbidity
No	31 (51.7%)	43 (71.7%)	0.04a
Yes	29 (48.3%)	17 (28.3%)
Heart attack	3 (5.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0.62
Diabetes	11 (8.3%)	2 (3.3%)	0.02a
Kidney disease	2 (3.3%)	2 (3.3%)	1.00
Pneumonia	4 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0.12
Hypertension	12 (20.0%)	8 (13.3%)	0.46
Asthma	1 (1.7%)	3 (5.0%)	0.62
Hyperlipidemia	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.0%)	0.24
Malignant tumor	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	1.00
Medication
No	24 (40.0%)	49 (81.7%)	< 0.001a
Yes	36 (60.0%)	11 (18.3%)
Hypoglycemic agent	11 (18.3%)	2 (3.3%)	0.02a
Antihypertensive agent	12 (20.0%)	6 (10.0%)	0.20
Anticoagulant	2 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0.50
Others	21 (35.0%)	5 (8.3%)	0.001a

SCI: Spinal cord injury.

^aStatistically significant (P < 0.05).