Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the 585 participants, divided in the intervention and care as usual group
|
Characteristics |
All |
Care as usual |
Intervention* |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 585 | n = 351 (60%) | n = 234 (40%) | p-value | |
| General |
|
|
|
|
| Mean age in years ± sd |
74.1 ± 6.3 |
73.8 ± 6.1 |
74.4 ± 6.5 |
0.25 |
| Female sex |
319 (54.5) |
181 (51.6) |
138 (59.0) |
0.08 |
| MRC dyspnea score ≥ 3 |
157 (26.8) |
97 (27.6) |
60 (25.6) |
0.59 |
| Cardiovascular comorbidities | ||||
| Ischemic heart disease |
116 (19.8) |
70 (19.9) |
46 (19.7) |
0.93 |
| Prior myocardial infarction |
43 (7.4) |
27 (7.7) |
16 (6.8) |
0.70 |
| Prior PCI/CABG |
47 (8.0) |
29 (8.3) |
18 (7.7) |
0.80 |
| Vascular comorbidity |
351 (60.0) |
217 (61.8) |
134 (57.3) |
0.27 |
| Hypertension |
310 (53.0) |
196 (55.8) |
114 (48.7) |
0.09 |
| Hypercholesterolemia |
187 (32) |
115 (32.8) |
72 (30.8) |
0.61 |
| Diabetes Mellitus |
79 (13.5) |
47 (13.4) |
32 (13.7) |
0.92 |
| Prior stroke or TIA |
51 (8.7) |
27 (7.7) |
24 (10.3) |
0.28 |
| Peripheral arterial disease |
35 (6.0) |
22 (6.3) |
13 (5.6) |
0.72 |
| Atrial fibrillation |
42 (7.2) |
33 (9.4) |
9 (3.8) |
0.01 |
| Non-cardiovascular comorbidities | ||||
| Cognitive disorders |
110 (18.8) |
50 (14.2) |
60 (25.6) |
0.001 |
| Asthma/COPD |
323 (55.2) |
200 (57.0) |
123 (52.6) |
0.29 |
| Depression |
72 (12.3) |
39 (11.1) |
33 (14.1) |
0.28 |
| Medication | ||||
| Loop diuretics |
55 (9.4) |
36 (10.3) |
19 (8.1) |
0.39 |
| Thiazide diuretics |
147 (25.1) |
89 (25.4) |
58 (24.8) |
0.88 |
| ACE-inhibitors |
120 (20.5) |
70 (19.9) |
50 (21.4) |
0.68 |
| ARBs |
128 (21.9) |
83 (23.6) |
45 (19.2) |
0.21 |
| Beta-blockers |
128 (21.9) |
79 (22.5) |
49 (20.9) |
0.65 |
| Digitalis |
5 (0.9) |
4 (1.1) |
1 (0.4) |
0.36 |
| Aldosterone antagonists |
7 (1.2) |
7 (2.0) |
0 (0.0) |
0.03 |
| Oral anticoagulants |
51 (8.7) |
37 (10.5) |
14 (6.0) |
0.06 |
| Antiplatelets |
147 (25.1) |
84 (23.9) |
63 (26.9) |
0.41 |
| Statins |
179 (30.6) |
110 (31.3) |
69 (29.5) |
0.63 |
| Nitrates |
41 (7.0) |
26 (7.4) |
15 (6.4) |
0.64 |
| Calcium channel blockers | 76 (13.0) | 54 (15.4) | 22 (9.4) | 0.04 |
Values are numbers (percentages).
*Intervention = a half-day training in the management of HF and the practical application of an up-titration scheme for HF-REF and HF-PEF.
Sd = standard deviation, MRC = medical research council, PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention, CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting, TIA = transient ischemic attack, COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ACE = angiotensin converting enzyme, ARB = angiotensin receptor blocker, HF = heart failure, HF-REF = heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, HF-PEF = heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.