Table 1.

Baseline characteristics

Variables	NRI cohort (n = 160)	Other patients (n = 254)
Age (years)	54±13	58±14*
Gender (female)	23%	28%
Race (Caucasian)	63%	59%
Body mass index (kg/m2)	29±7	29±7
Length of stay (days)	8±6	9±7
Ischemic etiology	48%	52%
History of:
Hypertension	46%	48%
Diabetes mellitus	31%	32%
COPD	18%	17%
Heart rate (beats/min)	82±16	82±15
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	103±15	106±17
Serum sodium (mEq/L)	137±4	137±5
Blood urea nitrogen (mg/dL)	34±19	36±24
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)	1.5±0.6	1.5±0.6
BNP (pg/mmol)	950±110	1037±96
Transplant/LVAD within 6 months	11%	9%
Observed 6-month mortality	19%	20%

Abbreviations: BNP, B-type natriuretic peptide; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ESCAPE, Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness; LVAD, left ventricular assist device; NRI, nutritional risk index

p < .05 for comparison between groups