Table 2.
Baseline patients’ characteristics
| Characteristic | Overall (N = 1253) | With Sinus Rhythm (n = 1112) | Without Sinus Rhythm (n = 141) | P | Without LVH (n = 1098) | With LVH (n = 155) | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, mean yr (SD) | 65.7 (8.3) | 65.3 (8.3) | 69.0 (6.8) | <0.001 | 65.6 (8.4) | 66.5 (7.4) | 0.179 |
| Female, no. (%) | 577 (46) | 510 (45.9) | 67 (47.5) | 0.723 | 522 (47.5) | 55 (35.5) | 0.006 |
| Duration of diabetes, mean yr (SD) | 18.1 (8.8) | 18.2 (8.9) | 17.7 (8.4) | 0.585 | 17.9 (8.9) | 19.9 (8.3) | 0.007 |
| Time on dialysis, mean mo (SD) | 8.3 (6.9) | 8.2 (6.9) | 9.1 (6.6) | 0.128 | 8.4 (7.0) | 7.7 (6.4) | 0.273 |
| Blood pressure, mean (SD), mmHg | |||||||
| systolic | 146 (22) | 146 (22) | 140 (20) | <0.001 | 145 (22) | 152 (23) | <0.001 |
| diastolic | 76 (11) | 76 (11) | 75 (11) | 0.196 | 76 (11) | 77 (12) | 0.122 |
| Smoker (current/former), no. (%) | 506 (40.4) | 449 (40.4) | 57 (40.4) | 0.360 | 430 (39.2) | 76 (49.0) | 0.059 |
| Body mass index, mean kg/m2 (SD) | 27.6 (4.8) | 27.6 (4.8) | 27.6 (4.7) | 0.909 | 28.0 (4.8) | 24.4 (3.4) | <0.001 |
| MI, CABG/ PCI, CHD, no.(%) | 369 (29.4) | 318 (28.6) | 51 (36.2) | 0.077 | 313 (28.5) | 56 (36.1) | 0.060 |
| Congestive heart failure, no. (%) | 444 (35.4) | 372 (33.5) | 72 (51.1) | <0.001 | 380 (34.6) | 64 (41.3) | 0.107 |
| History of cardiac valve disorder, no. (%) | 94 (7.5) | 73 (6.6) | 21 (14.9) | 0.001 | 78 (7.1) | 16 (10.3) | 0.190 |
| Peripheral vascular disease, no. (%) | 560 (44.7) | 494 (44.4) | 66 (46.8) | 0.591 | 486 (44.3) | 74 (47.7) | 0.438 |
| Stroke/transitory ischemic attack, no. (%) | 224 (17.9) | 202 (18.2) | 22 (15.6) | 0.559 | 201 (18.3) | 23 (14.8) | 0.316 |
| Hemoglobin, mean g/dl (SD) | 10.9 (1.3) | 10.9 (1.3) | 11.0 (1.4) | 0.240 | 10.9 (1.3) | 10.7 (1.4) | 0.023 |
| Gycated hemoglobin, mean % (SD) | 6.7 (1.3) | 6.7 (1.3) | 6.9 (1.2) | 0.054 | 6.7 (1.3) | 6.8 (1.3) | 0.396 |
| Albumin, mean g/L (SD) | 3.8 (0.3) | 3.8 (0.3) | 3.9 (0.3) | 0.020 | 3.8 (0.3) | 3.8 (0.3) | 0.507 |
| Phosphate, mean mg/dl (SD) | 6.0 (1.6) | 6.0 (1.6) | 5.9 (1.8) | 0.402 | 6.0 (1.6) | 6.0 (1.6) | 0.612 |
| LDL cholesterol, mean mg/dl (SD) | 126 (30) | 126 (30) | 122 (30) | 0.108 | 126 (30) | 125 (30) | 0.872 |
| Dose of erythropoietin, IU/wk (SD) | 6,030 (3,883) | 5,975 (3,810) | 6,489 (4,433) | 0.214 | 5975 (3878) | 6404 (3904) | 0.210 |
| Arteriovenous fistula, no. (%) | 1168 (93.3) | 1041 (93.7) | 127 (90.1) | 0.109 | 1026 (93.5) | 142 (91.6) | 0.390 |
| Ultrafiltration volume, kg/dialysisa | 2.3 (1.2) | 2.2 (1.2) | 2.3 (1.3) | 0.520 | 2.2 (1.2) | 2.3 (1.1) | 0.540 |
| Duration of dialysis, hr/wk | 12.3 (1.9) | 12.3 (1.9) | 12.3 (2.1) | 0.958 | 12.3 (1.9) | 12.3 (2.1) | 0.993 |
| ECG signs of LVH, no. (%) | - | 145 (13) | 10 (7.1) | 0.042 | - | - | - |
| ECG signs of MI, no. (%) | 176 (14.0) | 141 (12.7) | 35 (24.8) | <0.001 | 155 (14.1) | 21 (13.5) | 0.902 |
The two P values (comparing patients with sinus rhythm to those without, and patients with LVH to those without) were derived by ttest for continuous data and by the Fisher exact test or chi-square test for categorical data. Congestive heart failure is predominantly New York Heart Association II. To convert hemoglobin values to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.62. To convert values for phosphate to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.32. To convert values for LDL cholesterol to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.03. Abbreviations: LVH, left ventricular hypertrophy; MI, myocardial infarction; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; CHD, coronary heart disease documented by coronary angiography.
The ultrafiltration volume was calculated on the basis of body weight before and after dialysis at the randomization visit