Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population
| Variables | All patients (n = 116) | Patients with sarcopenia (n = 33) | Patients without sarcopenia (n = 83) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (y) | 55 ± 9 | 59 ± 6 | 54 ± 9 | 0.002 |
| Weight (kg) | 71.1 ± 14.4 | 59.4 ± 7.4 | 75.8 ± 13.8 | < 0.001 |
| Height (m) | 1.67 ± 0.07 | 1.66 ± 0.07 | 1.67 ± 0.07 | 0.401 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 25.5 ± 4.5 | 21.6 ± 2.5 | 27.1 ± 4.2 | < 0.001 |
| Aetiology (Ischaemic/non-ischaemic) | 30/86 | 8/25 | 22/61 | 1.000 |
| NYHA class (I/II/III/IV) | 40/41/28/7 | 9/11/11/2 | 31/30/17/5 | 0.500 |
| LVEF (%) | 28 ± 8 | 26 ± 7 | 29 ± 8 | 0.124 |
| BNP (pg/mL) | 773 ± 877 | 1159 ± 924 | 621 ± 816 | 0.006 |
| Sodium (mEq/L) | 139 ± 3 | 138 ± 4 | 139 ± 3 | 0.383 |
| Potassium (mEq/L) | 4.6 ± 0.4 | 4.6 ± 0.3 | 4.6 ± 0.4 | 0.535 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 1.24 ± 0.39 | 1.27 ± 0.47 | 1.23 ± 0.35 | 0.568 |
| Haemoglobin (g/dL) | 13.9 ± 1.7 | 13.3 ± 1.6 | 14.1 ± 1.7 | 0.022 |
| hs-CRP (mg/L) | 8.96 ± 16.0 | 12.4 ± 13.6 | 7.6 ± 16.7 | 0.147 |
| Triglyceride (mg/dL) | 118 ± 68 | 96 ± 38 | 127 ± 75 | 0.031 |
| Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 170 ± 45 | 159 ± 37 | 174 ± 48 | 0.111 |
| HDL (mg/dL) | 44 ± 15 | 47 ± 16 | 44 ± 14 | 0.306 |
| LDL (mg/dL) | 103 ± 35 | 95 ± 25 | 106 ± 38 | 0.155 |
| Fasting glucose (mg/dL) | 108 ± 21 | 106 ± 24 | 109 ± 20 | 0.510 |
| Medication | ||||
| β-blocker | 33 (100) | 78 (94) | 0.319 | |
| Statins | 18 (55) | 49 (59) | 0.682 | |
| ACEI/ARB | 31 (94) | 76 (92) | 1.000 | |
| Diuretics | 26 (79) | 62 (75) | 0.811 | |
| Anticoagulants | 12 (36) | 32 (39) | 1.000 | |
| Hydralazine | 6 (18) | 18 (22) | 0.802 | |
| Isosorbide | 6 (18) | 18 (22) | 0.802 | |
| Spironolactone | 24 (73) | 58 (70) | 0.824 |
Data are presented as mean ± SD or %. P value referred to Student's t-test and Chi-square test for medication. ACEI, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors; ARB: angiotensin receptor blockers; BMI: body mass index; BNP: B-type natriuretic peptide; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; hs-CRP: high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; NYHA: New York Heart Association.