Table 1. Characteristics of the patients, by treatment and control group.
| Characteristics | Valid number | Treatment (n: 493) |
Control (n: 1320) |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age—mean (SD) | 1813 | 54.1±11.5 | 59.4±12.5 | <0.001 |
| Female sex—n (%) | 1813 | 337/493 (68.4) | 893/1320 (67.7) | 0.755 |
| Illiterate—n (%) | 1807 | 149/493 (30.2) | 600/1314 (45.7) | <0.001 |
| Family monthly income—US$ | 1306 | 370.87±203.04 | 417.39+209.56 | <0.001 |
| Duration of ChD > 10 yr—n (%) | 1768 | 355/484 (73.3) | 728/1284 (56.7) | <0.001 |
| Hypertension—n (%) | 1813 | 280/493 (56.8) | 852/1320 (64.5) | <0.001 |
| Diabetes mellitus—n (%) | 1813 | 34/493 (6.9) | 133/1320 (10.1) | <0.001 |
| Pacemaker—n (%) | 1792 | 24/493 (5.0) | 86/1299 (6.6) | 0.291 |
| Medication—n (%) | ||||
| Diuretic | 1790 | 195/487 (40.0) | 670/1303 (51.4) | <0.001 |
| Digoxin | 1795 | 22/487 (4.5) | 104/1308 (8.0) | <0.001 |
| Amiodarone | 1749 | 87/464 (18.8) | 324/1283 (25.3) | <0.001 |
| Beta-blocker | 1791 | 41/486 (8.4) | 91/1305 (7.0) | 0.210 |
| ACE inhibitor | 1790 | 128/487 (26.3) | 381/1303 (29.2) | 0.150 |
| ARA | 1791 | 125/487 (25.7) | 373/1304 (28.6) | 0.153 |
| ECG typical ChD—n (%) | 1779 | 233/491 (47.3) | 773/1288 (60.0) | <0.001 |
| High age-adjusted NT-ProBNP n (%) | 1810 | 30/492 (6.1) | 175/1318 (13.3) | <0.001 |
| PCR positivity—n (%) | 1813 | 82/493 (16.6) | 481/1320 (36.4) | <0.001 |
| Mortality in 2-year follow-up | 1813 | 14/493 (2.8) | 100/1320 (7.6) | <0.001 |
ACE = Angiotensin converting enzyme; ARA = angiotensin receptor antagonists; ECG = Electrocardiogram; NT-ProBNP = N-terminal of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide; PCR = Polymerase-chain-reaction.