Table 1.
Demographics of 128 patients with advanced heart failure according to baseline β blocker treatment
| Characteristic | On β blocker | Not on β blocker | P Value |
| Age (years) | 51.2 (9.5) | 50.0 (11.8) | NS |
| Male sex (%) | 88.2 | 73.2 | 0.03 |
| Weight (kg) | 90.0 (15.7) | 77.6 (15.9) | <0.001 |
| NYHA class | 2.9 (0.5) | 3.3 (0.6) | 0.001 |
| IHD (%) | 46 (55%) | 16 (39%) | NS |
| Atrial fibrillation (%) | 12 (15%) | 9 (22%) | NS |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | 72.7 (16.0) | 81.6 (13.6) | 0.003 |
| Systolic BP (mm Hg) | 112.2 (18.3) | 105.1 (16.7) | 0.04 |
| QRS (ms) | 130.4 (33.1) | 135.3 (43.1) | NS |
| LVEF (%) | 15.4 (6.9) | 13.4 (7.5) | NS |
| Peak Vo2 (ml/kg/min) | 11.9 (3.5) | 10.9 (3.3) | NS |
| HFSS* | 7.72 (7.15–8.31) | 7.43 (6.33–8.05) | 0.08 |
| Serum sodium | 139.2 (3.5) | 137.9 (3.3) | 0.05 |
| Serum creatinine | 128.7 (31.7) | 120.4 (39.1) | NS |
| NT-proBNP* (pg/ml) | 1024 (413–2430) | 2103 (1117–9124) | <0.001 |
| ACE/ARB use (%) | 82 (95%) | 33 (81%) | 0.008 |
| Spironolactone (%) | 52 (61%) | 23 (56%) | NS |
| Digoxin (%) | 38 (45%) | 22 (54%) | NS |
| Diuretic dose (mg) | 109.4 (83.1) | 129.3 (77.1) | NS |
Values are expressed as mean (SD) or %, except non-normally distributed variables* which are expressed as the median (interquartile range). Diuretic dose is expressed as a frusemide (furosemide) equivalent dose.
ACE/ARB, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin receptor blocker; BP, blood pressure; HFSS, heart failure survival score; IHD, ischaemic heart disease; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; NS, non-significant; NT-proBNP, N terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide; NYHA, New York Heart Association; Peak V̇o2, peak oxygen uptake.