Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study population
| Characteristic | No Change/Improved (n = 815) | Temporary Decline (n = 261) | Persistent Decline (n = 232) | P for Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| age (years; mean ± SD) | 64 ± 11 | 67 ± 10 | 64 ± 11 | 0.01 |
| male (n [%]) | 605 (74) | 201 (77) | 167 (72) | 0.73 |
| baseline eGFR (mean ± SD) | 77 ± 20 | 74 ± 19 | 76 ± 22 | 0.01 |
| Cardiac history (n [%]) | ||||
| ischemic heart disease | 358 (44) | 148 (57) | 125 (54) | 0.01 |
| CVA/TIA | 276 (34) | 71 (27) | 54 (23) | 0.01 |
| lower extremity arterial disease | 197 (24) | 70 (27) | 59 (25) | 0.55 |
| aortic aneurysm disease | 20 (3) | 8 (3) | 6 (3) | 0.80 |
| polyvascular disease | 440 (54) | 168 (64) | 145 (63) | 0.03 |
| Cardiovascular risk factors (n [%]) | ||||
| smoking | 0.87 | |||
| no | 304 (37) | 92 (35) | 83 (36) | |
| current | 321 (39) | 101 (39) | 89 (38) | |
| history | 190 (23) | 68 (26) | 60 (26) | |
| hypertension | 377 (46) | 142 (54) | 124 (53) | 0.02 |
| diabetes | 115 (14) | 51 (20) | 36 (16) | 0.28 |
| hypercholesterolemia | 223 (27) | 64 (25) | 69 (30) | 0.71 |
| chronic heart failure | 40 (5) | 20 (8) | 18 (8) | 0.05 |
| COPD | 140 (17) | 52 (20) | 47 (20) | 0.21 |
| Medication at discharge (n [%]) | ||||
| aspirin | 382 (47) | 121 (46) | 1108 (47) | 0.91 |
| statin | 278 (34) | 92 (35) | 99 (43) | 0.03 |
| β-blocking agents | 306 (38) | 108 (41) | 91 (41) | 0.29 |
| diuretics | 158 (19) | 65 (25) | 56 (24) | 0.05 |
| ACEIs | 181 (22) | 72 (28) | 69 (30) | 0.01 |
| calcium antagonists | 196 (24) | 77 (30) | 59 (25) | 0.37 |
| angiotensin receptor blockers | 36 (4) | 13 (5) | 12 (5) | 0.59 |
ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CVA/TIA, cerebrovascular accident/transient ischemic attack.