Table 1.
Basic clinical characteristics of patients included in the study (chronic heart failure and controls without the disease).
| Chronic heart failure (HFrEF, n = 67) | Controls (n = 39) | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age [years]² | 62.6 (12.3) | 62.6 (10.4) | 0.997 |
| Male gender [n, %] | 60 (90) | 28 (72) | 0.019 |
| NYHA class II/III [n, %] | 29 (43)/38 (57) | — | — |
| SBP [mmHg]² | 127.8 (23.7) | 133.7 (18.4) | 0.197 |
| DBP [mmHg]² | 77.7 (14.5) | 79.3 (7.2) | 0.521 |
| HR [bpm]² | 70.7 (9.9) | 75.3 (12.5) | 0.045 |
| BMI [kg/m²]² | 28.6 (4.1) | 28.1 (4.7) | 0.602 |
| Laboratory results | |||
| RBC [mln/mm³]² | 4.7 (0.5) | 4.8 (0.5) | 0.174 |
| Hb [g/dl]² | 14.2 (1.2) | 14.2 (1.9) | 0.808 |
| Fe [μg/dL]² | 111.3 (57.9) | 106.0 (40.1) | 0.641 |
| CRP [mg/dL]² | 1.8 (0.9–3.0) | 1.6 (1.0–2.5) | 0.702 |
| eGFR [ml/min/1.73 m²]² | 73.2 (19.6) | 80.3 (15.7) | 0.057 |
| Uric acid [mg/dL]² | 6.8 (6.0–7.9) | 5.99 (5.1–7.0) | 0.029 |
| Urea [mg/dL]² | 45.8 (16.1) | 40.6 (19.4) | 0.239 |
| TChol [mmol/L]² | 167.5 (42.0) | 197.2 (35.0) | 0.001 |
| LDL [mmol/L]² | 101.9 (32.7) | 127.0 (39.2) | 0.001 |
| HDL [mmol/L]² | 46.5 (14.1) | 53.3 (14.3) | 0.029 |
| TG [mmol/L]² | 118.1 (68.6) | 124.9 (57.1) | 0.626 |
| BNP [pg/mL]¹ | 183.8 (89–279) | 24.3 (13.7–54.0) | <0.0001 |
| Echocardiography | |||
| LVEF [%]² | 24.3 (5.9) | 61.2 (5.1) | <0.0001 |
| LVEDd [mm]² | 6.7 (1.1) | 4.9 (0.5) | <0.0001 |
| Functional capacity | |||
| 6MWT [m]² | 382.1 (118.1) | 488.5 (128.2) | <0.0001 |
| CPET duration [min]¹ | 6 (4–9)* | 11 (8–12) | 0.001 |
| Peak VO2 [ml/kg/min]² | 17.2 (6.6) | 23.3 (5.5) | <0.0001 |
| VE/VCO2 slope² | 31.6 (8.7) | 26.8 (3.6) | 0.008 |
| Comorbidities | |||
| IHD [n, %] | 38 (57)∫ | 18 (46)** | 0.294 |
| AF [n, %] | 19 (28) | 6 (15) | 0.129 |
| CKD [n, %] | 54 (81) | 32 (80) | 0.980 |
| Medications | |||
| Statin use [n,%] | 53 (79) | 20 (51) | 0.003 |
| ASA [n,%] | 43 (64) | 13 (33) | 0.002 |
| ACEIs/ARBs [n,%] | 63 (94) | 25 (64) | <0.0001 |
| Β-blockers [n,%] | 64 (95) | 20 (51) | <0.0001 |
| MRAs [n,%] | 65 (97) | 2 (5) | <0.0001 |
| Thiazide diuretics [n,%] | 4 (6) | 3 (8) | 0.731 |
| CCBs [n,%] | 6 (9) | 10 (26) | 0.021 |
| Allopurinol [n,%] | 11 (16) | 3 (8) | 0.201 |
¹Median (IQR); ²Mean (SD); IQR – interquartile range; SD – standard deviation;
*CPET was performed in 66% (n = 44) of HFrEF patients; ∫IHD – invasively confirmed ischaemic heart disease as the etiology of heart failure; **IHD – invasively confirmed or clinically diagnosed and pharmacologically treated ischaemic heart disease;
HFrEF – heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; NYHA class – New York Heart Association functional classification; SBP/DBP – systolic/diastolic blood pressure; MAP – mean arterial pressure; HR – heart rate; BMI – body mass index; RBC – red blood cells; Hb – haemoglobin; Fe – serum iron level; CRP – C-reactive protein; eGFR – estimated glomerular filtration rate; TChol – total cholesterol; LDL – low-density lipoproteins; HDL – high-density lipoproteins; TG – triglycerides; BNP – B-type natriuretic peptide; LVEF – left ventricular ejection fraction; LVEDd – left ventricle end-diastolic diameter; 6MWT – six-minute walk test; CPET duration – cardiopulmonary exercise test duration; Peak VO2 – peak rate of oxygen uptake; VE/VCO2 slope – minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope; AF – atrial fibrillation; CKD – chronic kidney disease (eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m²); ASA – acetylsalicylic acid; ACEIs/ARBs – angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers; MRAs – mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists; CCBs – calcium channel blockers.