. 2019 Aug 28;69(687):e697–e705. doi: 10.3399/bjgp19X705485

Table 3.

Patient characteristics at symptom and frequency distribution of management pathway taken within 6 months of initial HF symptom by these characteristics, N = 13 897

Variable	n (%)	Pathway

		1. NICE guidelines (echo/NP and referral), n (%)	2. Guidance partially followed (echo/NP or referral), n (%)	3. Treatment only (HF medications but no echo/NP or referral), n (%)	4. No recommended care (no echo/NP, referral, or HF medications), n (%)
Sex
Male	6672 (48.0)	535 (8.0)^a	1315 (19.7)^a	2416 (36.2)	2406 (36.1)^a
Female	7225 (52.0)	441 (6.1)^a	1274 (17.6)^a	2701 (37.4)	2809 (38.9)^a

Age group at symptom, years
<45	234 (1.7)	17 (7.3)	32 (13.7)	43 (18.4)^a	142 (60.7)^a
45–64	2052 (14.8)	156 (7.6)	403 (19.6)	651 (31.7)^a	842 (41.0)^a
65–74	3422 (24.6)	278 (8.1)^a	628 (18.4)	1284 (37.5)	1232 (36.0)^a
75–84	5401 (38.9)	375 (6.9)	1032 (19.1)	2107 (39.0)^a	1887 (34.9)^a
≥85	2788 (20.1)	150 (5.4)^a	494 (17.7)	1032 (37.0)	1112 (39.9)^a

IMD quintile
1 (least deprived)	2731 (19.7)	221 (8.1)^a	557 (20.4)^a	994 (36.4)	959 (35.1)^a
2	3233 (23.3)	257 (7.9)^a	631 (19.5)	1189 (36.8)	1156 (35.8)^a
3 (average)	2931 (21.1)	206 (7.0)	525 (17.9)	1062 (36.2)	1138 (38.8)
4	2631 (18.9)	170 (6.5)	466 (17.7)	986 (37.5)	1009 (38.4)
5 (most deprived)	2371 (17.1)	122 (5.1)^a	410 (17.3)	886 (37.4)	953 (40.2)^a

Diagnosis source
Primary care	3388 (24.4)	469 (13.8)^a	868 (25.6)^a	1141 (33.7)^a	910 (26.9)^a
Hospital	10 509 (75.6)	507 (4.8)^a	1721 (16.4)^a	3976 (37.8)^a	4305 (41.0)^a

Number of comorbidities at symptom
0	2252 (16.2)	185 (8.2)^a	369 (16.4)^a	366 (16.3)^a	1332 (59.1)^a
1	3561 (25.6)	244 (6.9)	572 (16.1)^a	1083 (30.4)^a	1662 (46.7)^a
2	3419 (24.6)	226 (6.6)	665 (19.5)	1411 (41.3)^a	1117 (32.7)^a
3	2452 (17.6)	174 (7.1)	491 (20.0)	1141 (46.5)^a	646 (26.3)^a
≥4	2213 (15.9)	147 (6.6)	492 (22.2)^a	1116 (50.4)^a	458 (20.7)^a

History of AMI
Yes	667 (4.8)	51 (7.6)	165 (24.7)^a	360 (54.0)^a	91 (13.6)^a
No	13 230 (95.2)	925 (7.0)	2424 (18.3)^a	4757 (36.0)^a	5124 (38.7)^a

History of chronic pulmonary disease
Yes	3685 (26.5)	134 (3.6)^a	494 (13.4)^a	1384 (37.6)	1673 (45.4)^a
No	10 212 (73.5)	842 (8.2)^a	2095 (20.5)^a	3733 (36.6)	3542 (34.7)^a

Symptom type
Breathlessness only	9096 (65.5)	797 (8.8)^a	1907 (21.0)^a	3115 (34.2)^a	3277 (36.0)^a
Ankle swelling only	2251 (16.2)	90 (4.0)^a	356 (15.8)^a	960 (42.6)^a	845 (37.5)
Fatigue only	2355 (16.9)	76 (3.2)^a	305 (13.0)^a	972 (41.3)^a	1002 (42.5)^a
≥2 symptoms	195 (1.4)	13 (6.7)	21 (10.8)^a	70 (35.9)	91 (46.7)^a

Consultation for symptom
Yes	3793 (27.3)	407 (10.7)^a	909 (24.0)^a	1303 (34.4)^a	1174 (31.0)^a
No	10 104 (72.7)	569 (5.6)^a	1680 (16.6)^a	3814 (37.7)^a	4041 (40.0)^a

Significant adjusted standardised residuals. All χ² tests significant at P<0.001. AMI = acute myocardial infarction. Echo = echocardiography. HF = heart failure. IMD = Index of Multiple Deprivation. NICE = National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. NP = natriuretic peptide testing.