Table 1. Main characteristics and differences of the population examined.

	Males (n = 295)	Females (n = 123)	P
Age, years	67.9 ± 10.2	70.5 ± 9.2	0.01
In-hospital stay, days	15.3 ± 7.6	16.3 ± 8.1	0.25
Creatinine, mg/dL	1.2 ± 0.7	0.9 ± 0.4	0.004
Haemoglobin, g/dL	10.8 ± 1.4	10.7 ± 1.4	0.69
LVEF, %	47.1 ± 12.8	50.2 ± 13.4	0.03
NYHA admission	2.4 ± 0.7	2.6 ± 0.6	0.07
NYHA discharge	1.6 ± 0.6	1.8 ± 0.5	0.06
BNP admission, pg/mL	547.8 ± 598.5	467.1 ± 517.1	0.23
BNP discharge, pg/mL	365.6 ± 376.7	365.8 ± 436.0	0.9
6MWT admission, m	327.2 ± 88.4	236.3 ± 80.4	< 0.001
6MWT discharge, m	414.6 ± 83.9	336.7 ± 75.9	< 0.001
Delta 6MWT, m	87.4	100.4
Barthel index admission	88.7 ± 21.2	80.7 ± 26.2	0.004
Barthel index discharge	94.8 ± 13.7	92.1 ± 16.9	0.135
MMSE admission	27.6 ± 2.8	27.1 ± 3.7	0.27
MMSE discharge	27.7 ± 2.8	27.2 ± 3.6	0.39
HADS (A) admission	5.1 ± 2.9	6.4 ± 3.6	0.007
HADS (A) discharge	4.5 ± 2.6	5.2 ± 2.8	0.08
HADS (D) admission	4.7 ± 3.3	6.0 ± 3.4	0.008
HADS (D) discharge	3.7 ± 2.8	5.3 ± 3.0	0.001
GDS admission	6.5 ± 2.8	7.1 ± 4.7	0.5
GDS discharge	5.6 ± 2.2	6.0 ± 2.9	0.6

BNP: brain natriuretic peptide; GDS: geriatric depression scale; HADS (A): hospital anxiety and depression scale (anxiety); HADS (D): hospital anxiety and depression scale (depression); LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; NYHA: New York Heart Association; 6MWT: six minute walking test; MMSE: mini mental state examination.