Table I.
Demographic and clinical features of the patient cohort.
| Characteristic | Control, n=20 | ILDD, n=24 | CLDD, n=23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male, n (%) | 15 (75) | 18 (75) | 17 (74) |
| Age in years, mean ± SD | 65±8 | 66±6 | 66±7 |
| BMI in kg/m2, mean ± SD | 22.0±3.1 | 21.2±2.8 | 21.5±2.6 |
| Systolic BP in mmHg, mean ± SD | 155±18 | 152±16 | 153±15 |
| Diastolic BP in mmHg, mean ± SD | 74±16 | 75±18 | 76±17 |
| Cardiothoracic ratio >0.55, n (%) | 20 (100) | 24 (100) | 23 (100) |
| NYHA class, n (%) | |||
| II | 9 (45) | 11 (46) | 11 (48) |
| III | 10 (50) | 12 (50) | 11 (48) |
| IV | 1 (5) | 1 (4.2) | 1 (4.3) |
| ACE-inhibitors user, n (%) | 5 (25) | 6 (25) | 5 (22) |
| ARB antagonists user, n (%) | 5 (25) | 6 (25) | 7 (30) |
| α-blockers user, n (%) | 5 (25) | 7 (29) | 6 (26) |
| β-blockers user, n (%) | 10 (50) | 12 (50) | 11 (48) |
| Statins user, n (%) | 1 (5) | 2 (8) | 2 (8.7) |
| CCB user, n (%) | 20 (100) | 24 (100) | 23 (100) |
| Nitrate user, n (%) | 10 (50) | 12 (50) | 11 (48) |
| EPO user, n (%) | 20 (100) | 24 (100) | 23 (100) |
| Calcitriol user, n (%) | 20 (100) | 24 (100) | 23 (100) |
| History of glomerulonephritis, n (%) | 14 (70) | 17 (71) | 16 (70) |
| History of hypertension, n (%) | 4 (20) | 5 (21) | 5 (22) |
| History of diabetes, n (%) | 2 (10) | 2 (8.3) | 2 (8.7) |
| Time on dialysis, weeks | 5 (2) | 5 (2) | 5 (2) |
| Years on dialysis | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| Hemoglobin in g/dl, mean ± SD | 90.5±21.1 | 89.8±20.6 | 90.1±20.3 |
| Calcium in mmol/l, mean ± SD | 2.09±0.27 | 2.06±0.25 | 2.04±0.23 |
| Phosphorus in mmol/l, mean ± SD | 2.06±0.71 | 2.03±0.69 | 2.08±0.70 |
ILDD, intermittent low doses of digoxin (patients were instructed to take 125 μg digoxin per day orally for three days and then 62.5 μg every other day); CLDD, continuous low doses of digoxin (patients were instructed to take 125 μg digoxin per day orally for three days and then 62.5 μg every day); Control, patients who were not using digoxin were used as a disease control; The dialysis patients of the control group also underwent a 4-h hemodialysis session five times every two weeks. BMI, body mass index; SD, standard deviation; NYHA, 1928 New York Heart Association; ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; ARB, angiotensin-receptor blocker; CCB, calcium-channel blocker; EPO, human erythropoietin.