Table 2.
Baseline comparison of intervention and control group patients (n = 168).
| Intervention group (n = 91) | Control group (n = 77) | |
| Male sex | 63 (69.2) | 53 (68.8) |
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 68.4 (10.6) | 69 (9.5) |
| Living alone | 27 (29.4) | 22 (28.6) |
| No information | 3 (3.7) | 11 (14.3) |
| Social class*: | ||
| Mean (SD) score | 8.9 (3.8) | 8.8 (4.3) |
| lower, middle, upper class | 46 (52.3), | 34 (54), |
| 36 (40.9), | 21 (33.3), | |
| 6 (6.8) (n = 88) |
8 (12.7) (n = 63) |
|
| NYHA-functional class (according to GP) | ||
| II | 44 (48.4) | 41 (53.3) |
| III | 46 (50.6) | 33 (42.9) |
| IV | 1 (1) | 3 (3.9) |
| Mean (SD) LVEF | 32.5 (7.1) (n = 79) |
34.4 (6.5) (n = 64) |
| Main cause of CHF | ||
| CHD | 43 (47.3) | 31 (40.3) |
| Cardiomyopathy | 29 (31.9) | 21 (27.3) |
| Hypertension | 6 (6.6) | 15 (19.5) |
| Not clear | 13 (14.3) | 10 (13) |
| Mean (SD) duration (years) of CHF | 5.6 (4.9) | 5.8 (5.6) |
| Localisation of CHF | ||
| Left | 55 (60.4) | 50 (64.9) |
| Left and right | 31 (34.1) | 24 (31.2) |
| Unknown | 5 (5.5) | 3 (3.9) |
| Cardiovascular interventions | ||
| PTCA/Stent (any) | 37 (40.7) | 19 (24.7) |
| Bypass (any) | 23 (25.3) | 20 (26) |
| Pacemaker (any) | 18 (19.8) | 13 (16.9) |
| ICD | 19 (20.9) | 11 (14.3) |
| Reanimation/Defibrillation | 7 (7.7) | 7 (9.1) |
| Medical conditions | ||
| Atrial fibrillation | 21 (23.1) | 12 (15.6) |
| PAD | 15 (16.5) | 14 (18.2) |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 18 (19.8) | 14 (18.2) |
| COPD | 18 (19.8) | 15 (19.5) |
| Depression | 22 (24.2) | 17 (22.1) |
| Creatinine-Clearance: Mean (SD) GFR (ml/min)** | 74.1 (31.7) | 66.5 (27.4) |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | ||
| Diabetes mellitus | 32 (35.2) | 29 (37.7) |
| Hypertension | 68 (74.7) | 60 (77.9) |
| Dyslipidemia | 68 (74.7) | 60 (77.9) |
| Hyperuricemia | 44 (48.4) | 33 (42.9) |
| (Ex-)smoker (since at least 6 months) |
34/17 (37.4/18.7) |
34/9 (44.2/11.7) |
| Drugs at baseline included: | ||
| ACE inhibitor/A2RA | 83 (91.2) | 68 (88.3) |
| β-blocker | 71 (78.0) | 62 (80.5) |
| ACE inhibitor/A2RA and β-blocker | 65 (71.4) | 57 (74.3) |
| Spirononolactone/Eplerenone | 29 (31.9) | 19 (24.7) |
| Loop diuretics | 55 (60.4) | 47 (61) |
| Cardiac glycosides | 32 (35.2) | 32 (41.6) |
| Antidepressants | 7 (7.8) | 5 (6.5) |
| Soporifics/hypnotics | 7 (7.7) | 3 (3.9) |
Values represent number (percentages) of patients unless stated otherwise.
*Social Class according to modified German Winkler-index[45] (lower class: 3–7; middle class: 8–14; upper class: 15–21); NYHA, New York Heart Association; LVEF, Left ventricular ejection fraction; CHF, Chronic (systolic) heart failure; CHD, Coronary heart disease; PTCA, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty; ICD, implantable cardioverter defibrillator; PAD, Peripheral arterial disease; COPD, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ** Estimation of the GFR according to the formula of Cockroft and Gault; ACE = angiotensin converting enzyme; A2RA = angiotensin-2 receptor antagonist;