Table 1. Baseline characteristics.
| All patients (n = 1193) | Patients without known HF at baseline (n = 951) | Patients with known HF at baseline (n = 242) | p-value* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 68.9 (±11.7) | 68.1 (±11.8) | 72 (±10.5) | <0.0001 |
| Female sex | 356 (29.8%) | 290 (30.5%) | 66 (27.3%) | 0.33 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 27 (±4.6) | 26.9 (±4.4) | 27.4 (±5.1) | 0.15 |
| SBP (mmHg) | 134.9 (±18.8) | 136.7 (±18.4) | 127.8 (±19) | <0.0001 |
| DBP (mmHg) | 78.4 (±12.3) | 79.3 (± 11.9) | 74.7 (±13.2) | <0.0001 |
| Heart frequency (bpm) | 67 (58; 80) | 66 (57; 79) | 70 (60; 83) | 0.003 |
| Paroxysmal AF | 653 (54.7%) | 574 (60.4%) | 79 (32.6%) | <0.0001 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 171 (14.3%) | 120 (12.6%) | 51 (21.1%) | 0.0008 |
| Hypertension | 825 (69.2%) | 630 (66.3%) | 195 (80.6%) | <0.0001 |
| History of stroke | 155 (13%) | 121 (12.7%) | 34 (14.1%) | 0.58 |
| Obstructive sleep apnea | 135 (11.3%) | 96 (10.1%) | 39 (16.1%) | 0.008 |
| CAD | 247 (20.7%) | 162 (17%) | 85 (35.1%) | <0.0001 |
| History of valve surgery | 91 (7.6%) | 51 (5.4%) | 40 (16.5%) | <0.0001 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 193 (16.2%) | 96 (10.1%) | 97 (40.1%) | <0.0001 |
| History of arrhythmia intervention | 544 (45.6%) | 423 (44.5%) | 121 (50%) | 0.12 |
| Current smoker | 107 (9%) | 82 (8.6%) | 25 (10.3%) | 0.41 |
| Regular exercise | 636 (53.3%) | 539 (56.7%) | 97 (40.1%) | <0.0001 |
| Beta blocker intake | 832 (69.7%) | 636 (66.9%) | 196 (81%) | <0.0001 |
| AAD intake | 340 (28.5%) | 266 (28%) | 74 (30.6%) | 0.42 |
| QTc interval (ms) | 438.1 (±43.6) | 433.4 (± 42.5) | 456.4 (±43.1) | <0.0001 |
| BNP (ng/L) | 128 (58; 252) | 109 (52; 209) | 243 (128; 458) | <0.0001 |
| Chloride (mmol/l) | 102.5 (±3.15) | 102.8 (±3) | 101.5 (±3.6) | <0.0001 |
Data are presented as number (percentages) or mean (± standard deviation) or median (interquartile range), as appropriate. BMI = body mass index; SBP = systolic blood pressure; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; CAD = coronary heart disease; AAD = antiarrhythmic drug; BNP = brain natriuretic peptide; History of arrhythmia intervention = previous pulmonary vein ablation or/and electrical cardioversion. Heart frequency and BNP were log-transformed.
*P-values compare patients with and patients without known HF at baseline and are based on chi-square tests or t-tests/Wilcoxon rank sum tests, as appropriate.