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. 2022 Mar 30;11(7):1932. doi: 10.3390/jcm11071932

Table 1.

Baseline characteristics and medication at hospital discharge of the patients included in the study.

Usual Care
(n = 75)		 Intervention
(n = 75)		 p-Value
Age (years) 82.6 ± 4.5 81.6 ± 4.9 0.22
Female 38 (50.7) 37 (49.3) 0.87
Hypertension 67 (89.3) 66 (88) 0.59
Diabetes mellitus 32 (42.7) 32 (42.7) 0.82
Dyslipidemia 49 (65.3) 46 (61.3) 0.61
Stroke/TIA 9 (12) 10 (13.3) 0.88
Chronic kidney disease 54 (72) 52 (69.3) 0.72
Anemia 48 (64) 42 (56) 0.32
Sleep apnea 8 (10.7) 8 (10.7) 0.98
Peripheral vascular disease 10 (13.3) 14 (18.7) 0.41
Chronic lung disease 28 (37.3) 20 (26.7) 0.16
Cancer 19 (25.3) 18 (24) 0.92
Myocardial infarction 21 (28) 15 (20) 0.25
Coronary intervention 16 (21.3) 13 (17.3) 0.54
TAVI or Mitraclip 1 (1.4) 3 (4) 0.51
Cardiac surgery:
  • -

    CABG

  • -

    Valve replacement

  • -

    CABG and valve replacement

 2 (2.7)
3 (4)
1 (1.4)		 3 (4)
7 (9.3)
3 (4)		 0.37
Atrial fibrillation or flutter 47 (62.7) 57 (76) 0.08
Moderate to severe valve disease 25 (33.3) 24 (32) 0.86
Device therapy:
  • -

    Pacemaker

  • -

    CRT or ICD

 9 (12)
3 (4)		 14 (18.7)
2 (2.7)		 0.19
Previous history of HF 42 (56) 43 (57.3) 0.87
Duration of HF *:
  • -

    <3 months

  • -

    3–6 months

  • -

    6–12 months

  • -

    1–5 years

  • -

    >5 years

 7 (16.3)
3 (7)
6 (14)
22 (51.2)
5 (11.6)		 9 (20.5)
1 (2.3)
3 (6.8)
14 (31.8)
16 (36.4)		 0.06
HF hospitalization the previous year * 19 (45.2) 15 (36.6) 0.42
HF categories:
  • -

    HFpEF (LVEF ≥ 50%)

  • -

    HFmrEF (LVEF 40–49%)

  • -

    HFrEF (LVEF < 40%)

 47 (62.7)
11 (14.7)
17 (22.7)		 51 (68)
16 (21.3)
8 (10.7)		 0.72
Echocardiographic parameters
LVEF (%) 51.3 ± 14.4 53.5 ± 13.9 0.34
TAPSE (mm), n = 138 17.9 ± 4.0 17.2 ± 3.9 0.30
Left ventricular mass index (g/m2). n = 145 129.9 ± 35.8 127.3 ± 33.7 0.96
Right ventricle (mm), n = 95 28.1 ± 7.0 30.4 ± 6.6 0.09
Medications at discharge
ACEI/ARB-2/ARNI 35 (46.7) 43 (57.3) 0.19
MRA 9 (12) 12 (16) 0.48
Betablockers 55 (73.3) 53 (70.7) 0.72
Diuretics 71 (94.7) 73 (97.3) 0.34
Anticoagulation 48 (64) 58 (77.3) 0.07
Antiplatelet therapy 16 (21.3) 15 (20) 0.84
Oral antidiabetic drugs 24 (32) 24 (32) 0.96
Insulin 14 (18.4) 14 (18.4) 1.0
Proton-pump inhibitors 58 (77.3) 47 (62.7) 0.05
Statin 52 (69.3) 44 (58.7) 0.17
Calcium channel antagonists 23 (31.3) 21 (28.4) 0.72
Nitrates 17 (22.7) 14 (18.7) 0.55
Hydralazine 9 (12) 12 (16) 0.48
Amiodarone 12 (16) 13 (17.6) 0.80
Digoxin 2 (2.7) 2 (2.7) 0.69
Vitamin D supplements 25 (33.3) 21 (28) 0.48
Oral iron supplements 21 (28) 21 (28) 1.0
Benzodiazepines 17 (22.7) 13 (17.3) 0.41
Antidepressant drugs 16 (21.3) 23 (30.7) 0.19
Bronchodilators 28 (37.3) 22 (29.3) 0.30

Data are number (percentage) or mean ± standard deviation. ACEI: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. ARB-II: angiotensin II receptor blockers. ARNI: angiotensin receptor and neprilysin inhibition. CABG: Coronary artery bypass grafting. CRT: Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. CKD: Chronic kidney disease. HF: Heart failure. HFrEF: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. HFmrEF: Heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction. HFpEF: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. ICD: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. LVEF: Left ventricular ejection fraction. MRA: mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. TAPSE: Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion. TIA: transient ischemic attack. TAVI: Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation. * only for patients with a previous history of HF.