Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study population
| NT-proBNP* |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Variable | Low (n=752) |
High (n=198) |
p |
| Age, yrs | 74.9 ± 8.2 | 82.8 ± 6.6 | <0.001 |
| % Male | 39.8 | 36.4 | 0.38 |
| College graduate, % | 40.1 | 42.0 | 0.66 |
| High School Graduate, % | 98.2 | 98.8 | 0.99 |
| Cardiovascular Risk Factors | |||
| Hypertension, % | 61.2 | 84.8 | <0.001 |
| Heart rate, bpm | 65.8 ± 9.2 | 65.5 ± 11.6 | 0.76 |
| Systolic BP, mm Hg | 135.7 ± 18.7 | 147.1 ± 24.6 | <0.001 |
| Diastolic BP, mm Hg | 73.9 ± 8.7 | 72.2 ± 11.0 | 0.046 |
| Current smoking, % | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.97 |
| Ever smoked, % | 53.7 | 56.1 | 0.56 |
| Diabetes, % | 11.2 | 13.6 | 0.34 |
| Pre-Existent Disease | |||
| MI, % | 8.0 | 25.8 | <0.001 |
| CHD, % | 12.1 | 30.3 | <0.001 |
| Stroke, % | 4.8 | 11.1 | 0.001 |
| CVD, % | 14.6 | 36.4 | <0.001 |
| Medication Use | |||
| Aspirin, % | 41.9 | 37.1 | 0.22 |
| Lipid-Lowering, % | 19.6 | 12.7 | 0.025 |
| Nutrition and Activity | |||
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 25.6 ± 4.1 | 24.4 ± 4.1 | <0.001 |
| Exercise ≥3x/wk, % | 76.7 | 62.6 | <0.001 |
| Alcohol ≥3x/wk, % | 49.6 | 48.0 | 0.69 |
| Laboratory Values | |||
| Fasting glucose, mg/dl | 103.7 ± 20.6 | 103.9 ± 21.0 | 0.86 |
| CrCl, ml/min | 66.1 ± 23.1 | 47.9 ± 17.9 | <0.001 |
| Triglycerides†, mg/ld | 110.2 | 102.2 | 0.093 |
| HDL cholesterol†, mg/dl | 57.5 | 58.3 | 0.65 |
| LDL cholesterol, mg/dl | 122.9 ± 31.8 | 113.4 ± 34.0 | <0.001 |
| NT-proBNP†, pg/ml | 112.0 | 973.0 | <0.001 |
| Poor Performance on: | |||
| MMSE, % | 5.1 | 16.7 | <0.001 |
| Trails B, % | 23.4 | 53.6 | <0.001 |
| Category Fluency, % | 11.6 | 26.3 | <0.001 |
*
For NT-proBNP groups, "Low " is <450 pg/ml; "High" is ≥450 pg/ml.
†
Geometric mean
BP=blood pressure; BPM=beats per minute; CHD=coronary heart disease; CrCl=creatinine clearance; CVD=cardiovascular disease; HDL=high-density lipoprotein; LDL=low -density lipoprotein; MI=myocardial infarction; MMSE=Mini Mental State Exam; NT-proBNP=N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide.