Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of Patients on Lower vs. Higher Admission Oral Dose of Loop Diuretics
| Characteristic | Furosemide dose <120 mg (N=131) | Furosemide dose ≥120 mg (N=177) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | |||
| Mean (SD) | 66 (14) | 66 (13) | 0.91 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 69 (54, 77) | 67 (56, 77) | |
| Male sex, n (%) | 90 (69) | 136 (77) | 0.11 |
| White race, n (%) | 88 (67) | 134 (76) | 0.10 |
| Ischemic cause of HF, n (%) | 73 (56) | 103 (58) | 0.67 |
| HF hospitalizations in past year | |||
| Mean (SD) | 1.5 (1.4) | 1.6 (1.9) | 0.59 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 1.0 (1.0, 2.0) | 1.0 (0.0, 2.0) | |
| NYHA class, n (%) | |||
| I/II | 3 (3) | 9 (6) | 0.12 |
| III | 81 (70) | 96 (59) | |
| IV | 31 (27) | 57 (35) | |
| LVEF | |||
| Mean (SD) | 34 (18) | 35 (17) | 0.59 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 27 (20, 50) | 30 (20, 50) | |
| <50%, n (%) | 93 (74) | 126 (72) | 0.79 |
| Co-morbidities, n (%) | |||
| Hypertension | 102 (78) | 144 (81) | 0.45 |
| Diabetes | 61 (47) | 97 (55) | 0.15 |
| Medications, n (%) | |||
| ACEI or ARB | 94 (72) | 103 (58) | 0.01 |
| Beta-blocker | 111 (85) | 145 (82) | 0.51 |
| Aldsoterone antagonist | 36 (28) | 50 (28) | 0.88 |
| Other diuretics | |||
| Metolazone, n (%) | |||
| Yes, daily | 9 (7) | 20 (11) | 0.14 |
| Yes, as needed | 5 (4) | 13 (7) | |
| Hydrochlorothiazide, n (%) | |||
| Yes, daily | 1 (1) | 4 (2) | 0.51 |
| Yes, as needed | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | |
| JVP ≥8 cm, n (%) | 113 (92) | 154 (91) | 0.82 |
| Moderate-severe edema, n (%) | 105 (80) | 138 (78) | 0.64 |
| Serum sodium, mEq/L | |||
| Mean (SD) | 139 (4) | 138 (4) | 0.20 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 139 (136, 141) | 138 (136, 140) | |
| BUN, mg/dl | |||
| Mean (SD) | 32 (20) | 41 (24) | 0.001 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 27 (19, 41) | 35 (22, 55) | |
| Creatinine, mg/dl | |||
| Mean (SD) | 1.40 (0.48) | 1.57 (0.53) | 0.003 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 1.30 (1.02, 1.70) | 1.50 (1.15, 1.91) | |
| Cystatin C, mg/dl | |||
| Mean (SD) | 1.44 (0.53) | 1.65 (0.57) | 0.001 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 1.37 (1.01, 1.75) | 1.58 (1.21, 2.06) | |
| NT-proBNP, pg/ml | |||
| Mean (SD) | 7236 (6914) | 7585 (7614) | 0.77 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 4651 (2442, 9699) | 4435 (2466, 11122) | |
| Uric acid, mg/dl | |||
| Mean (SD) | 9.4 (2.4) | 10.1 (2.7) | 0.10 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 9.7 (7.8, 11.0) | 9.7 (8.2, 11.6) | |
| Global well being VAS | |||
| Mean (SD) | 49 (23) | 41 (24) | 0.002 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 53 (31, 65) | 42 (22, 55) | |
| Dyspnea VAS | |||
| Mean (SD) | 54 (27) | 46 (27) | 0.01 |
| Median (25th, 75th) | 57 (37, 74) | 45 (25, 67) |
Abbreviations: BUN, blood urea nitrogen; HF, heart failure; JVP, jugular venous pressure; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; NT-proBNP, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide; NYHA, New York Heart Association; SBP, systolic blood pressure; VAS, visual analog scale.