Effect of short-term heart rate variability biofeedback on long-term abstinence in alcohol dependent patients – a one-year follow-up

Table 1 Demographic Characteristics

	Patients who completed follow-up			Intention-to-treat
	HRV Biofeedback (n = 15)	Control (n = 12)	p-value	HRV Biofeedback (n = 24)	Control (n = 24)	p-value
Age (years)	41.2 ± 8	43.6 ± 9	0.74	40 ± 7	44 ± 8	0.06
Gender (%)	53.3 m, 46.7 f	83.3 m, 16.7 f	0.09	70.8 m, 29.2 f	70.8 m, 29.2 f	0.09
Smoking (%)	80	75	0.75	79	75	0.36
Comorbidities
• Neuropathy (%)	26.7	0	0.05	33.3	16.7	0.09
• Hepatic steatosis (%)	20	50	0.05	20.8	37.5	0.07

Analyses of demographic data showed no differences in size, weight, gender, tobacco use and comorbidities between patients who have undergone HRV-biofeedback one year earlier and those who have received rehabilitation only. This was true when both, only patients who completed follow-up or all participants of the interventional randomized controlled trial (Intention-to-treat) were included in the analyses
m male, f female

ISSN: 1471-244X