Table 1.
Patient characteristics at baseline
| N | Total | Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n = 118 | n = 49 | n = 27 | n = 42 | |||
| Age (years) | 118 | 66.00 [56.00–73.00] | 64.00 [55.00–75.00] | 69.00 [57.00–74.00] | 66.00 [55.00–72.00] | 0.628 c |
| Gender, n (%) | 118 | 0.318 d | ||||
| Male | 96 (81.36) | 43 (87.76) | 21 (77.78) | 32 (76.19) | ||
| Female | 22 (18.64) | 6 (12.24) | 6 (22.22) | 10 (23.81) | ||
| BMI (kg/m2) | 118 | 26.81 [23.18–30.76] | 27.38 [23.77–30.25] | 28.96 a [25.47–32.83] | 24.69 a [21.15–29.39] | 0.039 f |
| Systolic BP (mmHg) | 101 | 120 [110–130] | 120 [110–130] | 120 [109–125] | 120 [110–130] | 0.862 c |
| Diastolic BP (mmHg) | 101 | 70 [65–80] | 71 [65–80] | 70 [65–79] | 70 [64–80] | 0.932 f |
| Heart rate (b.p.m.) | 118 | 70 [63–80] | 69 [63–87] | 70 [64–78] | 71 [63–76] | 0.948 f |
| Co‐morbidities | ||||||
| Active smoking (or stop <1 year), n (%) | 118 | 25 (21.19) | 11 (22.45) | 6 (22.22) | 8 (19.05) | 0.914 d |
| Hypertension, n (%) | 118 | 45 (38.14) | 19 (38.78) | 13 (48.15) | 13 (30.95) | 0.354 d |
| Diabetes, n (%) | 118 | 25 (21.19) | 11 (22.45) | 9 (33.33) | 5 (11.90) | 0.100 d |
| Dyslipidaemia, n (%) | 118 | 42 (35.59) | 18 (36.73) | 11 (40.74) | 13 (30.95) | 0.692 d |
| ORD, n (%) | 118 | 10 (8.55) | 3 (6.12) | 2 (7.41) | 5 (12.20) | 0.641 d |
| PAD, n (%) | 118 | 16 (13.56) | 5 (10.20) | 7 (25.93) | 4 (9.52) | 0.142 e |
| eGFR Cockroft class, n (%) | 117 | 0.705 e | ||||
| <30 | 4 (3.42) | 1 (2.04) | 2 (7.41) | 1 (2.44) | ||
| [30–45] | 17 (14.53) | 8 (16.33) | 2 (7.41) | 7 (17.07) | ||
| [45–60] | 19 (16.24) | 8 (16.33) | 3 (11.11) | 8 (19.51) | ||
| ≥60 | 77 (65.81) | 32 (65.31) | 20 (74.07) | 25 (60.98) | ||
| eGFR Cockroft (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 117 | 74.64 [50.77–94.91] | 71.11 [54.68–99.80] | 80.25 [50.77–105.68] | 70.60 [48.98–90.41] | 0.268 c |
| Clinical features of HF | ||||||
| Ischaemic, n (%) | 117 | 71 (60.68) | 31 (63.27) | 18 (66.67) | 22 (53.66) | 0.499 d |
| Hypertensive, n (%) | 117 | 3 (2.56) | 2 (4.08) | 1 (3.70) | 0 (0.00) | 0.451 e |
| Valvulopathy, n (%) | 117 | 8 (6.84) | 4 (8.16) | 2 (7.41) | 2 (4.88) | 0.899 e |
| Primitive, n (%) | 117 | 30 (25.64) | 9 (18.37) | 7 (25.93) | 14 (34.15) | 0.232 d |
| Rhythmic, n (%) | 117 | 23 (19.66) | 13 (26.53) | 6 (22.22) | 4 (9.76) | 0.127 d |
| Atrial fibrillation, n (%) | 117 | 24 (20.51) | 17 (35.42) b | 4 (14.81) | 3 (7.14) b | 0.003 d |
| LVEF (%) | 118 | 30.00 [25.00–34.00] | 30.00 [25.00–33.00] | 30.00 [25.00–30.00] | 30.00 [25.00–35.00] | 0.853 f |
| NT‐proBNP (pg/mL) | 110 | 1564.5 [701–3376] | 1816 b [1004–3958] | 1721 [845–3333] | 920.5 b [248–2200] | 0.029 f |
| NYHA functional class, n (%) | 115 | |||||
| I/II | 9/64 [7.83/55.65] | 5/30 [10.42/62.50] | 2/14 [7.69/53.85] | 2/20 [4.88/48.78] | 0.141 d | |
| III/IV | 37/5 [32.17/4.35] | 9/4 [18.75/8.33] | 10/0 [38.46/0] | 18/1 [43.90/2.44] | ||
| Treatment | ||||||
| Loop diuretics | 118 | 88 (74.58) | 39 (79.59) | 21 (77.78) | 28 (66.67) | 0.335 d |
| Spironolactone | 118 | 76 (64.41) | 29 (59.18) | 21 (77.78) | 26 (61.90) | 0.246 d |
| ACE inhibitor or ARB | 118 | 115 (97.46) | 48 (97.96) | 27 (100.00) | 40 (95.24) | 0.608 e |
| Beta‐blocker | 118 | 99 (83.90) | 38 (77.55) | 26 (96.30) | 35 (83.33) | 0.083 e |
| Cardiac resynchronization therapy | 117 | 12 (10.26) | 6 (12.24) | 3 (11.54) | 3 (7.14) | 0.731 e |
| Pacemaker | 117 | 12 (10.26) | 4 (8.16) | 5 (18.52) | 3 (7.32) | 0.283 e |
| ICD | 118 | 55 (46.61) | 18 (36.73) b | 11 (40.74) | 26 (61.90) b | 0.044 d |
ACE, angiotensin‐converting enzyme; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; HF, heart failure; ICD, implanted cardiac defibrillator; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; NT‐proBNP, N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide; NYHA, New York Heart Association; ORD, obstructive respiratory disease; PAD, peripheral arterial disease.
Quantitative variables were described by medians and [IQ25–75].
Significant pairwise comparisons after Holm corrections were presented for Group 2 vs. Group 3.
Significant pairwise comparisons after Holm corrections were presented for Group 1 vs. Group 3.
Statistical tests used were presented, on P values, for ANOVA.
Statistical tests used were presented, on P values, for χ 2 test.
Statistical tests used were presented, on P values, for Fisher's exact test.
Statistical tests used were presented, on P values, for Kruskal–Wallis test.