Table 1.
Baseline characteristics at admission according to the patterns of dyspnoea onset in patients with acute heart failure
| All patients | Rapid onset of dyspnoea (≤7 days) | Subacute onset of dyspnoea (>7 days) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 137 | n = 98 | n = 39 | ||
| Demographics and clinical variables | ||||
| Age, years | 65 ± 13 | 66 ± 13 | 64 ± 14 | 0.48 |
| Male, n [% (95% CI)] | 110 [80 (72–86)] | 77 [79 (69–86)] | 33 [85 (69–94)] | 0.42 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 28 ± 5 | 27 ± 4 | 29 ± 6 | 0.13 |
| LVEF, % | 30 [23–36] | 30 [24–36] | 27 [22–31] | 0.11 |
| Physical findings | ||||
| Systolic BP, mmHg | 133 ± 33 | 138 ± 33 | 121 ± 32 | 0.005 |
| Diastolic BP, mmHg | 78 ± 17 | 81 ± 18 | 72 ± 14 | 0.003 |
| Heart rate, b.p.m. | 90 [75–105] | 90 [78–110] | 90 [72–103] | 0.28 |
| Moderate–severe pulmonary congestion, n [% (95% CI)] | 35 [26 (19–34)] | 32 [33 (24–43)] | 3 [8 (2–22)] | 0.003 |
| Moderate–severe peripheral oedema, n [% (95% CI)] | 72 [53 (44–61)] | 48 [49 (39–59)] | 24 [62 (45–76)] | 0.18 |
| Ascites, n [% (95% CI)] | 19 [14 (9–21)] | 8 [8 (4–16)] | 11 [28 (16–45)] | 0.002 |
| Elevated JVD, n [% (95% CI)] | 80 [58 (50–67)] | 54 [55 (45–65)] | 26 [67 (50–80)] | 0.22 |
| Medical history | ||||
| HF de novo, n [% (95% CI)] | 29 [21 (15–28)] | 19 [19 (12–29)] | 10 [26 (14–42)] | 0.42 |
| Ischaemic HF aetiology, n [% (95% CI)] | 77 [56 (47–65)] | 54 [55 (45–65)] | 23 [59 (42–74)] | 0.68 |
| Hypertension, n [% (95% CI)] | 92 [67 (59–75)] | 63 [64 (54–74)] | 29 [74 (58–86)] | 0.26 |
| Atrial fibrillation/flutter, n [% (95% CI)] | 84 [61 (53–69)] | 65 [66 (56–75)] | 19 [49 (33–65)] | 0.06 |
| Previous CAD, n [% (95% CI)] | 81 [59 (50–67)] | 57 [58 (48–68)] | 24 [62 (45–76)] | 0.72 |
| Chronic kidney disease, n [% (95% CI)] | 70 [51 (43–60)] | 51 [52 (42–62)] | 19 [49 (33–65)] | 0.72 |
| Stroke/TIA, n [% (95% CI)] | 15 [11 (7–18)] | 7 [7 (3–15)] | 8 [21 (10–37)] | 0.02 |
| DM, n [% (95% CI)] | 57 [41 (33–50)] | 39 [39 (30–50)] | 18 [46 (30–63)] | 0.50 |
| COPD, n [% (95% CI)] | 21 [15 (10–23)] | 14 [14 (8–23)] | 7 [18 (8–34)] | 0.60 |
| Asthma, n [% (95% CI)] | 3 [2 (0.6–7)] | 2 [2 (0.4–8)] | 1 [3 (0.1–15)] | 0.85 |
| Laboratory data | ||||
| Creatinine, mg/dL | 1.2 [0.92–1.43] | 1.2 [0.9–1.4] | 1.11 [0.92–1.49] | 0.95 |
| eGFR, mL/min/1.73m2 | 58 [47–76] | 59 [47–76] | 56 [39–83] | 0.97 |
| Urea, mg/dL | 51 [39–72] | 51 [39–69] | 56 [38–78] | 0.31 |
| Sodium, mEq/L | 139 [135–141] | 139 [135–141] | 138 [134–141] | 0.51 |
| Glucose, mg/dL | 100 [89–153] | 123 [104–162] | 115 [100–147] | 0.17 |
| AST, IU/L | 26 [19–36] | 26 [18–36] | 27 [20–40] | 0.45 |
| ALT, IU/L | 26 [16–40] | 26 [17–37] | 25 [15–48] | 0.72 |
| Bilirubin, mg/dL | 1.12 [0.79–1.70] | 1.07 [0.72–1.60] | 1.27 [0.87–2.06] | 0.04 |
| WBC, G/L | 8.6 [6.7–10.1] | 8.6 [6.7–10.4] | 8.2 [6.4–10.1] | 0.70 |
| C‐reactive protein, mg/L | 7.4 [3.3–16.1] | 7.2 [2.9–14.8] | 7.5 [4.0–21.5] | 0.27 |
| Haemoglobin on admission, g/dL | 13.1 [11.7–14.3] | 13.3 [12.1–14.5] | 12.5 ± 2.0 | 0.06 |
| Haematocrite on admission, % | 39 ± 5 | 40 ± 5 | 38 ± 6 | 0.06 |
| Acid–base balance in the capillary blood | ||||
| pH | 7.45 [7.41–7.47] | 7.45 [7.41–7.47] | 7.45 [7.41–7.48] | 0.71 |
| sO2 | 94 [89–96] | 94 [90–96] | 93 [89–96] | 0.51 |
| pO2 | 65 [56–75] | 67 [58–75] | 63 [56–72] | 0.37 |
| pCO2 | 36 [32–41] | 36 [33–42] | 35 [32–39] | 0.35 |
| HCO3 − standard | 25 [23–27] | 25 [24–27] | 25 [23–27] | 0.65 |
| Lactates | 2.0 [1.5–2.6] | 2.0 [1.6–2.6] | 1.9 [1.4–2.4] | 0.26 |
| Baseline therapies (during hospitalization) | ||||
| Loop diuretics i.v., n (% [95% CI]) | 137 [100 (97–100)] | — | — | — |
| Total dose of i.v. diuretics during the first 48 h, mg (furosemide or equivalent) | 156 ± 103 | 146 ± 99 | 182 ± 110 | 0.08 |
| Vasodilator, n [% (95% CI)] | 55 [40 (31–49)] | 42 [43 (33–53)] | 14 [36 (22–53)] | 0.45 |
| Inotropes, n [% (95% CI)] | 15 [11 (7–18)] | 7 [7 (3–15)] | 8 [21 (10–37)] | 0.02 |
| Beta‐blokers, n [% (95% CI)] | 129 [96 (90–98)] | 92 [94 (87–98)] | 37 [100 (88–100)] | 0.12 |
| ACE inhibitor/ARB, n [% (95% CI)] | 126 [93 (87–97)] | 91 [94 (85–98)] | 35 [92 (78–98)] | 0.72 |
| MRA, n [% (95% CI)] | 70 [51 (43–60)] | 49 [50 (40–60)] | 21 [54 (37–70)] | 0.68 |
| Digoxin, n [% (95% CI)] | 56 [41 (33–50)] | 40 [41 (31–51)] | 16 [41 (26–58)] | 0.98 |
ACE, angiotensin‐converting enzyme; ALT, alanine transaminase; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blockers; AST, aspartate transaminase; BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; b.p.m., beats per minute; CAD, coronary artery disease; CI, confidence intervals; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HF, heart failure; JVD, jugular vein distension; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MRA, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist; n, number of patients; TIA, transient ischaemic attack; WBC, white blood cells.
Results are presented as a number of patients (and percentage with the 95% confidence intervals), mean ± standard deviations, or median [with lower and upper quantile].