Table 1.
Clinical Characteristics of the Study Patients (n=15)
| Age (years) | |
| Mean±SD | 85±11 |
| Range | 62–99 |
| Male sex | 8 (53) |
| Primary cause of HF | |
| Ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy | 5 (33) |
| Valvular disease | 4 (26) |
| Hypertension | 3 (20) |
| Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy | 1 (7) |
| Arrhythmia | 1 (7) |
| Congenital heart disease | 1 (7) |
| LVEF (%) | 51.4±17.8 |
| LVEF >50% | 8 (53) |
| Atrial fibrillation | 10 (67) |
| Serum creatinine (mg/dL) | |
| Mean±SD | 1.27±0.55 |
| Range | 0.41–2.32 |
| Serum albumin (g/dL) | |
| Mean±SD | 3.41±0.54 |
| Range | 2.4–4.7 |
| Cardiovascular medication at baseline | |
| Data not available | 5 (33) |
| Using cardiovascular medication | 10 (67) |
| Loop diuretics | 8 (53) |
| Thiazide diuretics | 1 (7) |
| MRA | 7 (47) |
| ACEI/ARB | 3 (20) |
| β-blockers | 3 (20) |
| Calcium antagonists | 3 (20) |
| Vasopressin antagonist | 4 (26) |
| HF-related physical findings | |
| Bilateral leg edema around or above the ankle | 15 (100) |
| Bilateral pulmonary rales beyond the basal lung | 9 (60) |
| B-type natriuretic peptide (pg/mL) | |
| ≥500 | 10 (67) |
| 300–500 | 2 (13) |
| 200–300 | 2 (13) |
| 100–200 | 1 (7) |
| Moderate elevation (≥5 mg/dL) of CRP | 3 (20) |
Unless specified otherwise, data presented as n (%). ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin II receptor blocker; CRP, C-reactive protein; HF, heart failure; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MRA, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist.