Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the HFpEF study sample (N = 171) stratified by sex
| Men [n = 58] |
Women [n = 113] |
p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age [years] | 72.2 ± 6.9 | 68.4 ± 8.8 | 0.003 |
| ≤ 60 years | 4 (6.9) | 16 (14.2) | |
| 60–<70 years | 15 (25.9) | 40 (35.4) | |
| 70–<80 years | 33 (56.9) | 47 (41.6) | |
| ≥ 80 years | 6 (10.3) | 10 (8.9) | |
| Body weight [kg] | 91.9 ± 13.3 | 78.9 ± 17.0 | < 0.001 |
| Body fat [%] | 26.2 ± 6.13 | 34.6 ± 6.39 | < 0.001 |
| Body mass index [kg/m²] | 30.0 ± 4.39 | 30.2 ± 6.16 | 0.806 |
| Systolic blood pressure [mmHg] | 129 ± 13.8 | 128 ± 13.9 | 0.569 |
| Diastolic blood pressure [mmHg] | 72.9 ± 10.8 | 75.1 ± 9.88 | 0.199 |
| Heart rate [bpm] | 64.0 ± 10.3 | 65.4 ± 11.0 | 0.410 |
| Medical history | |||
| NYHA functional class | 1.000 | ||
| II | 43 (74.1) | 84 (74.3) | |
| III | 15 (25.9) | 29 (25.7) | |
| Time since HF diagnosis [years] | 2.00 [0.00;3.50] | 1.00 [0.00;3.00] | 0.288 |
| Diagnosis > 1 year | 38 (65.5) | 77 (68.1) | 0.862 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 17 (29.3) | 32 (28.3) | 1.000 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18 (31.0) | 45 (39.8) | 0.337 |
| Coronary heart disease | 33 (57.9) | 17 (15.9) | < 0.001 |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 15 (26.3) | 11 (9.73) | 0.009 |
| Diabetes | 26 (44.8) | 20 (17.9) | < 0.001 |
| Hypertension | 54 (93.1) | 94 (83.2) | 0.118 |
| Hyperlipidemia | 47 (82.5) | 74 (66.1) | 0.040 |
| Sleep apnea | 22 (39.3) | 11 (9.91) | < 0.001 |
| Smoker | < 0.001 | ||
| Current | 4 (6.9) | 4 (3.54) | |
| Ex | 36 (62.1) | 33 (29.2) | |
| Blood parameters | |||
| Total cholesterol [mg/dL] | 170 ± 40.1 | 206 ± 41.7 | < 0.001 |
| LDL cholesterol [mg/dL] | 103 ± 34.8 | 127 ± 36.2 | < 0.001 |
| HDL cholesterol [mg/dL] | 49.4 ± 14.1 | 62.2 ± 15.2 | < 0.001 |
| Triglycerides [mg/dL] | 141 ± 74.7 | 126 ± 60.2 | 0.194 |
| NT-proBNP [ng/L] | 709 ± 1045 | 657 ± 1381 | 0.783 |
| eGFR [mL/min/1.73 m²] | 71.2 ± 22.9 | 74.7 ± 19.9 | 0.313 |
| Medication | |||
| ACE inhibitors | 22 (37.9) | 31 (27.4) | 0.218 |
| Angiotensin receptor blocker | 26 (44.8) | 48 (42.5) | 0.896 |
| Beta blocker | 41 (70.7) | 72 (63.7) | 0.459 |
| Diuretics | 33 (56.9) | 69 (61.1) | 0.718 |
| Aldosterone Antagonists | 7 (12.1) | 12 (10.6) | 0.977 |
| Statins | 42 (72.4) | 50 (44.2) | 0.001 |
| Acetylsalicylic acid | 34 (58.6) | 21 (18.6) | < 0.001 |
| Cardiopulmonary exercise testing | |||
| VO2peak [ml/min/kg] | 19.4 ± 5.54 | 18.5 ± 5.23 | 0.300 |
| VO2peak predicted [%] | 85.5 ± 21.1 | 93.5 ± 21.7 | 0.022 |
| Work load [Watt] | 119 ± 44.1 | 93.6 ± 27.8 | < 0.001 |
| Peak RER | 1.09 ± 0.09 | 1.12 ± 0.11 | 0.060 |
| Peak heart rate [bpm] | 117 ± 26.0 | 125 ± 25.4 | 0.046 |
| Vascular assessment | |||
| FMD [%] |
3.52 ± 2.90 [n = 19] |
5.06 ± 3.06 [n = 40] |
0.069 |
| Abnormal FMD | 7 (36.8) | 8 (20.0) | 0.207 |
| RHI |
1.99 ± 0.60 [n = 40] |
2.32 ± 0.74 [n = 67] |
0.014 |
| FRHI | 0.37 ± 0.41 | 0.69 ± 0.42 | < 0.001 |
| Microvascular ED | 8 (20.0) | 11 (16.4) | 0.835 |
| Aix [%] |
32.2 ± 8.17 [n = 32] |
35.9 ± 8.28 [n = 61] |
0.044 |
| PWV [m/s] (corrected*) |
11.7 ± 3.32 [n = 11] |
9.68 ± 1.76 [n = 20] |
0.080 |
Data are presented as mean ± SD, median [1st quartile; 3rd quartile] or frequency (%), as appropriate. Variables presented as mean ± SD were compared with independent t-tests, variables presented as median [1st quartile; 3rd quartile] with Mann–Whitney U tests and categorical data with χ2 tests or Fisher’s exact tests
* for carotid femoral distance
ACE, Angiotensin-converting enzyme; Aix, augmentation index; CKD-EPI, Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration; ED, endothelial dysfunction; eGFR, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate; FMD, flow-mediated dilation; FRHI, Framingham reactive hyperaemia index; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; HF, heart failure; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; NT-proBNP, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide; NYHA, New York Heart Association; PWV, pulse wave velocity; RER, respiratory exchange ratio; RHI, reactive hyperaemia index; VO2, oxygen consumption