Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of chronic advanced heart failure
| HF group (n = 30) | Control group (n = 36) | |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical history and risk profile | ||
| Male gender | 26 (87) | 32 (89) |
| Age (years) | 65 [58–68] | 61.5 [57–65] |
| Body mass index | 23.9 [21.6–26.0] | |
| Hypertension | 18 (60) | |
| Diabetes mellitus | 7 (23) | |
| Familiarity for coronary artery disease | 7 (23) | |
| Current smoker | 18 (60) | |
| Dyslipidaemia | 15 (50) | |
| Ischaemic aetiology | 18 (60) | |
| INTERMACS class | 5 [5–5.7] | |
| VO2 max (mL/kg/min) a | 12.1 [10.4–14.2] | |
| Treatments | ||
| Furosemide (mg) | 75 [50–100] | |
| Beta‐blocker | 28 (93) | |
| ACE‐I | 15 (50) | |
| MRA | 25 (83) | |
| ICD | 29 (97) | |
| CRT | 11 (37) | |
| MitraClip | 7 (23) | |
| Echocardiographic data | ||
| Left ventricular EF (%) | 21 [19–25] | |
| LVEDD (mm) | 66.5 [61–70.7] | |
| RVEDD (mm) | 42 [40–48.7] | |
| Mean E/e′ (n) | 17 [14–28] | |
| Moderate‐to‐severe mitral regurgitation | 20 (67) | |
| Estimated systolic PAP (mmHg) | 50 [42–69] | |
| TAPSE (mm) | 16 [14–18] | |
| Haemodynamic variables b | ||
| CI (L/min/m2) | 1.8 [1.7–1.9] | |
| Mean WP (mmHg) | 23 [15–29] | |
| Mean PAP (mmHg) | 33 [22–39.5] | |
| TPG (mmHg) | 9 [6–13] | |
| PVR (WU) | 2.6 [1.6–3.7] | |
| Mean RAP (mmHg) | 7 [4–10] | |
| PAPi | 3.2 [2.6–4.5] | |
| Laboratory values | ||
| Na+ (mmol/L)*** | 135 [132–138] | 141 [140–142] |
| K+ (mmol/L)* | 4.2 [3.9–4.5] | 4.4 [4–4.6] |
| Creatinine (mg/dL)*** | 1.5 [1.2–1.8] | 0.88 [0.8–0.94] |
| MDRD | 50 [40–64] | |
| Urea (mg/dL)*** | 72 [52–97] | 34.5 [30–38.2] |
| Copeptin (pmol/L)*** | 29.9 [26.1–58.6] | 10.3 [6.5–15.1] |
| High‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T (ng/L)*** | 33.6 [23.8–65] | 6.1 [4.8–8.1] |
| Total bilirubin (mg/dL)*** | 0.8 [0.5–1.2] | 0.6 [0.5–0.8] |
| AST (IU/L)** | 19.5 [16–30.5] | 16 [14–19] |
| ALT (IU/L)*** | 17.5 [9–25.7] | 10.5 [8–14] |
| NT‐proBNP (pg/mL)*** | 4406 [2360–9385] | 32.9 [19.3–52.6] |
| sST2 (ng/mL)*** | 30.5 [20.8–44.6] | 22.9 [18.1–25.8] |
ACE‐I, angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor; ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; CI, cardiac index; CRT, cardiac resynchronization therapy; EF, ejection fraction; HF, heart failure; ICD, implantable cardiac defibrillator; LVEDD, left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter; MDRD, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease; MRA, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist; NT‐proBNP, N‐terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide; PAP, pulmonary artery pressure; PAPi, pulmonary artery pulsatility index; PVR, pulmonary vascular resistance; RAP, right atrial pressure; RVEDD, right ventricular end‐diastolic diameter; sST2, soluble ST2; TAPSE, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion; TPG, trans‐pulmonary gradient; WP, wedge pressure; WU, Wood units.
Data are presented as median [inter‐quartile range] or number (%).
VO2 max was available in 21 patients.
Right heart catheterization data were available in 23 patients.
Significant differences between HF patients and controls (P < 0.05).
Significant differences between HF patients and controls (P < 0.01).
Significant differences between HF patients and controls (P < 0.005).