Table 2.
Baseline Characteristics of Study Participants: Stratified by BMI Quartiles
| Characteristics | Quartile 1 (<24.6 kg/m2) (N=218) |
Quartile 2 (24.6–28.8 kg/m2) (N=218) |
Quartile 3 (28.8–33.8 kg/m2) (N=219) |
Quartile 4 (>33.8 kg/m2) (N=218) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||||
| Age, y | 68 (58–77) | 65 (56–74) | 63 (54–71) | 56 (46–65) | <0.001 |
| Men | 157 (72.0) | 160 (73.4) | 155 (70.8) | 125 (57.3) | 0.001 |
| Black race | 64 (29.4) | 69 (31.7) | 74 (33.8) | 111 (50.9) | <0.001 |
| Medical history | |||||
| Alcohol abuse | 40 (18.4) | 24 (11) | 19 (8.7) | 18 (8.3) | 0.005 |
| Atrial fibrillation | 34 (15.7) | 38 (17.8) | 41 (18.8) | 31 (14.5) | 0.62 |
| Cancer | 19 (8.7) | 13 (6) | 7 (3.2) | 5 (2.3) | 0.01 |
| CKD | 68 (31.2) | 79 (36.2) | 85 (38.8) | 92 (42.2) | 0.11 |
| COPD | 48 (22) | 42 (19.3) | 47 (21.5) | 52 (23.9) | 0.71 |
| Depression treated with medication | 32 (14.7) | 34 (15.6) | 38 (17.4) | 35 (16.1) | 0.90 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 74 (33.9) | 93 (42.7) | 116 (53) | 120 (55.1) | <0.001 |
| Duration of HF, mo | 5.0 (1.0–44.0) | 13.0 (1.0–51.0) | 24.0 (1.0–84.0) | 24.0 (1.0–84.0) | 0.003 |
| Dyslipidemia | 108 (49.5) | 136 (62.4) | 146 (66.7) | 122 (56) | 0.002 |
| History of IHD | 123 (56.4) | 122 (56) | 114 (52.1) | 78 (35.8) | <0.001 |
| History of smoking | 85 (39) | 76 (34.9) | 68 (31.1) | 69 (31.7) | 0.28 |
| Hypertension | 152 (69.7) | 175 (80.3) | 174 (79.5) | 189 (86.7) | <0.001 |
| ICD or pacemaker | 82 (37.6) | 106 (48.6) | 99 (45.2) | 99 (45.4) | 0.12 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 27 (12.4) | 29 (13.3) | 24 (11.0) | 14 (6.4) | 0.08 |
| Prior MI | 80 (36.7) | 66 (30.3) | 61 (27.9) | 41 (18.8) | <0.001 |
| Sleep apnea | 18 (8.3) | 23 (10.6) | 59 (26.9) | 99 (45.4) | <0.001 |
| Stroke | 29 (13.3) | 21 (9.6) | 20 (9.1) | 21 (9.6) | 0.47 |
| Ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation | 35 (16.1) | 43 (19.7) | 37 (16.9) | 41 (18.9) | 0.73 |
| Clinical assessment | |||||
| 6‐min Walk test distance, m | 300.0 (195.6–366.5) | 297.0 (196.5–372.0) | 305.0 (204.0–381.2) | 257.5 (148.2–356.8) | 0.02 |
| Ascites | 10 (4.6) | 16 (7.3) | 9 (4.1) | 9 (4.1) | 0.60 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 22.4 (21.0–23.7) | 26.5 (25.7–27.6) | 30.9 (29.8–32.3) | 38.8 (36–43.9) | <0.001 |
| DBP, mm Hg | 68 (60–76) | 69 (60–79) | 70 (60–82) | 72 (64–80) | <0.001 |
| Heart rate, beats/min | 75 (65.5–85) | 77 (67–86) | 75 (68–86) | 80 (68–88) | 0.07 |
| JVD | 60 (28.8) | 59 (28.6) | 52 (25.1) | 65 (32.7) | 0.64 |
| LVEF, % | 20.0 (17.0–30.0) | 25.0 (20.0–31.9) | 24.0 (20.0–30.0) | 25.0 (20.0–30.0) | 0.08 |
| NYHA class | 0.002 | ||||
| I | 16 (7.3) | 17 (7.8) | 13 (5.9) | 12 (5.5) | |
| II | 111 (50.9) | 125 (57.3) | 112 (51.1) | 92 (42.2) | |
| III | 87 (39.9) | 68 (31.2) | 88 (40.2) | 106 (48.6) | |
| IV | 2 (0.9) | 3 (1.4) | 3 (1.4) | 7 (3.2) | |
| Orthopnea | 0.55 | ||||
| None | 73 (33.5) | 64 (29.4) | 62 (28.3) | 64 (29.4) | |
| Mild | 58 (26.6) | 73 (33.5) | 63 (28.8) | 53 (24.3) | |
| Moderate | 56 (25.7) | 51 (23.4) | 58 (26.5) | 55 (25.2) | |
| Severe | 23 (10.6) | 19 (8.7) | 27 (12.3) | 33 (15.1) | |
| Percent oxygen saturation (SpO2) | 98 (96–99) | 98 (96–99) | 97 (96–98) | 97 (95–98) | 0.005 |
| Peripheral edema | 68 (18.3) | 94 (25.1) | 96 (25.6) | 117 (31.2) | 0.51 |
| Rales | 31 (31.6) | 21 (21.4) | 23 (23.5) | 23 (23.5) | 0.33 |
| S3 gallop | 21 (9.6) | 20 (9.2) | 19 (8.7) | 17 (7.8) | 0.35 |
| SBP, mm Hg | 109 (98–122) | 115 (103–129) | 116 (101–130) | 116 (104–131.5) | 0.002 |
| Medications at baseline | |||||
| ACE inhibitor | 150 (68.8) | 131 (60.1) | 136 (62.1) | 138 (63.3) | 0.27 |
| ARBs | 33 (15.1) | 46 (21.1) | 30 (13.7) | 36 (16.5) | 0.19 |
| β‐Blocker | 205 (94) | 211 (96.8) | 210 (95.9) | 202 (92.7) | 0.27 |
| CCB | 7 (3.2) | 16 (7.3) | 15 (6.9) | 27 (12.4) | 0.004 |
| GDMT score | 5 (3–8) | 6 (4–9) | 7 (4–9) | 7 (5–9) | <0.001 |
| Loop diuretic | 205 (94) | 204 (93.6) | 211 (96.4) | 213 (97.7) | 0.12 |
| Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist | 103 (47.3) | 108 (49.5) | 110 (50.2) | 114 (52.3) | 0.80 |
| Statin | 120 (55.1) | 128 (58.7) | 140 (63.9) | 129 (59.2) | 0.31 |
| Laboratory data | |||||
| BUN, mg/dL | 19 (11–29) | 24 (16–34) | 22 (16–33) | 24 (17–38.5) | <0.001 |
| Creatinine, mg/dL | 1.23 (1.0–1.7) | 1.3 (1.1–1.7) | 1.3 (1.1–1.7) | 1.3 (1.1–1.8) | 0.13 |
| NT‐proBNP, pg/mL | 3592.0 (1769.0–6774.0) | 3299.0 (1780.0–7165.0) | 2274.0 (1435.0–4065.0) | 1935.0 (987.7–3846.0) | <0.001 |
| Serum potassium, mmol/L | 4.5 (4.1–4.8) | 4.4 (4.1–4.8) | 4.3 (4–4.7) | 4.2 (3.9–4.5) | <0.001 |
| Sodium, mmol/L | 138 (136–140) | 138 (136–141) | 139 (136–141) | 139 (137–141) | 0.66 |
| Biomarker‐guided therapy arm | 109 (50) | 108 (49.5) | 110 (50.2) | 106 (48.6) | 0.98 |
Data represented as count (percentage) and median (25th–75th percentile). ACE indicates angiotensin‐converting enzyme; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; BMI, body mass index; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; CCB, calcium channel blocker; CKD, chronic kidney disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; GDMT, guideline‐directed medical therapy; HF, heart failure; ICD, implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator; IHD, ischemic heart disease; JVD, jugular venous distension; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MI, myocardial infarction; NT‐proBNP, N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide; NYHA, New York Heart Association; and SBP, systolic blood pressure.