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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jan 27.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Intern Med. 2006 Aug 15;145(4):273–283. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-145-4-200608150-00007

Table 2.

Baseline Characteristics*

Characteristic All Patients (n = 406) Usual Care Group (n = 203) Nurse Management Group (n = 203)
Mean (SD) age, y 59.4 (13.7) 59.3 (13.7) 59.6 (13.8)

Ethnicity, %

 Non-Hispanic black 45.8 44.3 47.3

 Hispanic 32.5 35.5 29.6

 Non-Hispanic white 15.3 15.3 15.3

 Other race or ethnicity 6.4 4.9 7.9

Women, % 46.3 47.8 44.8

Spanish-language speaker, % 22.7 25.1 20.2

HIgh school education, % 46.1 49.8 42.4

Inadequate health literacy, % 29.8 28.1 31.5

Insured, % 95.6 95.1 96.1

Married (living with spouse), % 27.7 29.2 26.1

Widowed, % 16.8 13.9 19.7

Living alone, % 31.5 34.0 29.1

NYHA class, %

 I 18.5 19.2 17.7

 II 22.4 20.2 24.6

 III 14.0 11.8 16.3

 IV 45.1 48.8 41.4
Symptoms, %

 Edema 50.7 50.7 50.7

 Orthopnea 51.7 54.7 48.8

 Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea 28.8 31.5 26.1

Comorbid conditions, %

 Alcoholism 9.4 10.8 7.9

 Angina 13.1 13.3 12.8

 Cerebrovascular disease 12.8 12.8 12.8

 Chronic pulmonary disease 31.0 28.6 33.5

 Diabetes 38.2 39.9 36.5

 Drug abuse 5.9 5.9 5.9

 Hypertension 70.7 71.4 70.0

 Ischemic heart disease 44.8 47.8 41.9

 Psychiatric disorder 9.9 12.8 6.9

 Depression 14.0 15.3 12.8

 Dementia 1.7 1.5 2.0

 Moderate or severe renal disease 13.5 13.3 13.8

Mean (SD) creatinine level
μmol/L 133 (141) 141 (133) 133 (159)
mg/dL 1.5 (1.6) 1.6 (1.5) 1.5 (1.8)

Mean (SD) Charlson index score 3.1 (1.9) 3.2 (1.9) 3.0 (1.9)

Mean (SD) SF-12 physical component score 39.2 (9.1) 38.8 (9.0) 39.5 (9.2)

Mean (SD) MLHF Questionnaire score 41.2 (25.6) 41.2 (25.2) 41.2 (26.0)

Mean hospitalizations per person in 3 mo before enrollment, n 0.2 0.2 0.2

Medications prescribed at baseline, %

 Vasodilators§ 80.5 80.3 80.8

β-Blockers 52.0 55.2 48.8

 Diuretics 69.5 70.4 68.5
*

MLHF = Minnesota Living with Heart Failure; NYHA = New York Heart Association; SF-12 = Short Form-12.

Baker et al., 1999 (23).

Charlson et al., 1994 (24).

§

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, or hydralazine–dinitrate combination.