Characteristics of patients at entry
| Characteristics | Without MES | With MES |
|---|---|---|
| No of patients | 26 | 6 |
| Age (y , mean (SD)) | 67.5 (13) | 67.5 (6) |
| Male (n (%)) | 22 (85) | 3 (50) |
| Hypertension (n (%)) | 13 (50) | 4 (67) |
| Diabetes (n (%)) | 7 (27) | 2 (33) |
| Smoking (n (%)) | 15 (58) | 2 (33) |
| Coronary heart disease (n (%)) | 14 (54) | 2 (33) |
| Dyslipidaemia (n (%)) | 8 (31) | 2 (33) |
| Carotid stenosis ⩾70 % (n (%)) | 8 (1) | 4 (67) |
| Carotid dissection (n (%)) | 1 (4) | 0 (0) |
| Aortic arch atheroma ⩾5 mm (n (%)) | 4 (16) | 1 (17) |
| Aortic dissection (n (%)) | 0 (0) | 1 (17) |
There were no significant differences between groups. MES=microembolic signals.