Table 2.

Clinical characteristics at baseline

Characteristics	Complete dataset (n = 142)		PAH (n = 90)		PAH with comorbidities (n = 52)		p-value between groups
	Mean ± SD or n (%)	n	Mean ± SD or n (%)	n	Mean ± SD or n (%)	n
Age [years]	63.3 ± 14.7		59.0 ± 15.7		70.8 ± 8.7		< 0.0001
Vital signs
Heart rate [/min]	79 ± 14		79 ± 13		78 ± 12		0.70
Oxygen saturation SaO2 [%]	94.7 ± 2.7	106	95.6 ± 2.4	62	93.6 ± 3.3	44	0.001
WHO-FC no. [%]							0.021
II	25 (20.2%)		22 (29.0%)		3 (6.3%)
III	84 (67.7%)		48 (63.2%)		36 (75.0%)
IV	15 (12.1%)		6 (7.8%)		9 (18.7%)
Laboratory
NT-proBNP [ng/l]	2334 ± 3270	104	2063 ± 3427	65	2786 ± 2976	39	0.26
Creatinine [mg/dl]	1.04 ± 0.42	141	0.93 ± 0.39	89	1.24 ± 0.4	52	< 0.0001
GFR [ml/min/1.73m2]	69.52 ± 24.99	136	77.41 ± 24.96	86	55.95 ± 18.52	50	< 0.0001
Ferritin [μg/l]	194.8 ± 188.5	77	177.7 ± 151	47	221.4 ± 236.1	30	0.33
6MWT
6MWD [m]	332.6 ± 127.7	111	372.6 ± 115.5	67	271.8 ± 122.3	44	< 0.0001
Lung function tests
DLCOsb [%]	48.4 ± 21.8	124	53.5 ± 21.7	77	40.0 ± 19.4	47	0.001
TLC [%]	90.5 ± 20.5	136	90.2 ± 21.1	85	90.9 ± 19.7	51	0.85
FEV1 [%]	83.9 ± 23.2	138	83.2 ± 26.0	86	85.0 ± 17.7		0.62
Right heart catheterization at rest
RAP [mmHg]	7.9 ± 4.8	104	7.1 ± 4.4	63	9.2 ± 5.2	41	0.033
mPAP [mmHg]	43.2 ± 11.7		43.1 ± 12.0		43.4 ± 11.2		0.88
Cardiac output [l/min]	4.6 ± 1.2	126	4.6 ± 1.3	79	4.4 ± 1.1	47	0.36
Cardiac index [l/min/m2]	2.4 ± 0.6	117	2.5 ± 0.6	72	2.3 ± 0.5	44	0.035
PAWP [mmHg]	9.6 ± 3.1	136	9.3 ± 3.2	84	10.2 ± 2.9		0.084
PVR [dyn*s*cm−5]	648 ± 326	135	655 ± 351	84	635 ± 284	51	0.71
SvO2 [%]	65.5 ± 8.6	95	66.0 ± 9.3	58	62.0 ± 6.8	37	0.020
Echocardiography
RA [cm2]	20.4 ± 6.3	136	19.2 ± 6.3	85	22.4 ± 5.9	51	0.003
RV [cm2]	24.2 ± 7.0	138	23.5 ± 7.2	87	25.4 ± 6.6	51	0.13
sPAP [mmHg]	63.5 ± 19.5	140	62.6 ± 20.11	88	65.2 ± 18.4	52	0.43
TAPSE [cm]	1.9 ± 0.5	139	1.97 ± 0.53	88	1.90 ± 0.56	51	0.47
LV-EI	1.28 ± 0.25	113	1.3 ± 0.2	74	1.3 ± 0.3	39	0.85
RV pump function no. [%]
normal	22 (15.8%)		19 (21.8%)		3 (5.9%)
mild impairment	15 (10.8%)		7 (8.0%)		8 (15.7%)
moderate impairment	28 (20.1%)		15 (17.2%)		13 (25.5%)
severe impairment	74 (53.3%)		46 (53.0%)		28 (52.9%)

SaO₂ oxygen saturation, WHO-FC World Health Organization Functional Class, NT-proBNP n-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide, GFR glomerular filtration rate, 6MWT/D 6-min walking test/distance, DLCOsb diffusion capacity of the lung single breath, TLC total lung capacity, FEV1 forced expiratory volume in one second, RAP right atrial pressure, mPAP mean pulmonary arterial pressure, PAWP pulmonary arterial wedge pressure, PVR pulmonary vascular resistance, SvO₂ mixed venous oxygen saturation, RA right atrial, RV right ventricular, sPAP systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, TAPSE tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, LV-EI left ventricular eccentricity index