Table 1.
Baseline demographic, haemodynamic, humoral, and treatment characteristics of patients
| Parameter | Value (mean (SD) or numbers) |
| Age (years) | 69.5 (5.6) |
| NYHA class II/III | 5/5 |
| Previous/never smokers | 8/2 |
| Average smoking duration (pack years) | 23.5 (15) |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 131 (7) |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 77 (5) |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | 28.0 (6.9) |
| Left ventricular fractional shortening (%) | 19.5 (7.6) |
| Serum urea (mmol/l) | 7.2 (1.6) |
| Serum creatinine (μmol/l) | 118 (21) |
| Serum total cholesterol (mmol/l) | 5.1 (0.2) |
| Serum urate (mmol/l) | 0.45 (0.8) |
| Mean dose of ACE inhibitor (mg/day) | |
| Lisinopril (7 patients) | 12.9 (5.7) |
| Enalapril (3 patients) | 16.7 (5.7) |
| Duration of ACE inhibition (years) | 6.1 (3.2) |
| Baseline serum ACE activity (taking ACE inhibitor (IU/l)) | 7.8 (1.8) |
| Random plasma glucose (mmol/l) | 5.7 (0.7) |
| Daily furosemide dose 40 mg/80 mg | 9/1 |
| Daily aspirin dose 75 mg/150 mg | 6/4 |
| Concomitant medication | |
| Nitrates | 5 |
| β Blockers | 6 |
| Calcium channel blockers | 4 |
| Statins/antioxidant vitamins | 0 |
ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; NYHA, New York Heart Association.