Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients referred for RHC.
| Characteristic | African Americans (n = 587) | Caucasians (n = 3990) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 53 ± 14 | 61 ± 15 | <0.001 |
| Male gender (n (%)) | 272 (46) | 2063 (52) | 0.02 |
| Hypertension (n (%)) | 514 (88) | 3069 (77) | <0.001 |
| Coronary artery disease (n (%)) | 388 (66) | 2894 (73) | 0.002 |
| Heart failure (n (%)) | 366 (62) | 1778 (45) | <0.001 |
| Atrial fibrillation (n (%)) | 122 (21) | 1240 (31) | <0.001 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n (%)) | 73 (12) | 487 (12) | 0.86 |
| Interstitial lung disease (n (%)) | 39 (7) | 247 (6) | 0.66 |
| Obstructive sleep apnea (n (%)) | 64 (11) | 406 (10) | 0.58 |
| Systemic lupus erythematous (n (%)) | 27 (5) | 41 (1) | <0.001 |
| Scleroderma (n (%)) | 2 (2) | 109 (3) | 0.34 |
| Diabetes mellitus (n (%)) | 267 (46) | 1452 (36) | <0.001 |
| Obesity (n (%)) | 229 (39) | 1304 (33) | 0.02 |
| Brain natriuretic peptide (pg/mL) | 948 ± 1254 | 562 ± 861 | <0.001 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 1.8 ± 2.1 | 1.2 ± 0.9 | <0.001 |
| Hemoglobin A1c (%) | 6.4 ± 1.5 | 6.1 ± 1.2 | <0.001 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 31 ± 8 | 30 ± 7 | 0.007 |
| Low density lipoprotein (mg/dL) | 92 ± 35 | 92 ± 39 | 0.72 |
| High density lipoprotein (mg/dL) | 46 ± 19 | 43 ± 17 | 0.003 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 119 ± 100 | 161 ± 162 | <0.001 |
| Medications (n (%)) | |||
| Any antihypertensive | 459 (78) | 2844 (71) | <0.001 |
| Any diuretic | 398 (68) | 2165 (54) | <0.001 |
| Any anticoagulant | 196 (33) | 1243 (31) | 0.26 |
| Any lipid-lowering agent | 238 (41) | 1998 (50) | <0.001 |
| Pulmonary hypertension medications * | |||
| Prostacyclins | 12 (2) | 95 (2) | 0.62 |
| Endothelin receptor antagonists | 14 (2) | 84 (2) | 0.66 |
| Phosphodiesterase inhibitors | 22 (4) | 107 (3) | 0.14 |
| Any | 36 (6) | 225 (6) | 0.62 |
*
Medications limited to six months before date of RHC.