Table 1.
Baseline clinical characteristics of our population.
| Parameter | L-Arginine | Placebo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | 35 | 37 | |
| Age (years) | 78.0 ± 6.6 | 77.0 ± 4.9 | |
| Female sex, n (%) | 21 (60) | 23 (62.1) | |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 29.1 ± 3.4 | 29.3 ± 3.6 | |
| SBP (mmHg) | 132.8 ± 10.9 | 129.2 ± 11.8 | |
| DBP (mmHg) | 82.0 ± 9.4 | 79.2 ± 6.3 | |
| Heart rate (bpm) | 73.7 ± 9.1 | 73.9 ± 8.9 | |
| Global cognitive evaluation | |||
| MoCA | 18.8 ± 3.8 | 18.97 ± 4.0 | |
| Anti-hypertensive treatments | |||
| β-blockers, n (%) | 20 (57.0) | 22 (60.0) | |
| ACE inhibitors, n (%) | 27 (77.0) | 29 (78.0) | |
| Angiotensin receptor blockers, n (%) | 8 (23.0) | 9 (24.0) | |
| Calcium channel blockers, n (%) | 22 (63.0) | 25 (66.0) | |
| Diuretics, n (%) | 11 (32.0) | 12 (33.0) | |
| Laboratory analyses | |||
| Plasma glucose (mg/dl) | 157.1 ± 52.4 | 154.6 ± 55.3 | |
| Creatinine (mg/dl) | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.1 | |
| Total Cholesterol (mg/dl) | 142.0 ± 14.7 | 141.8 ± 15.0 | |
| LDL Cholesterol (mg/dl) | 93.8 ± 8.4 | 93.4 ± 8.6 | |
| HDL Cholesterol (mg/dl) | 42.5 ± 5.6 | 42.2 ± 5.8 | |
| Triglycerides (mg/dl) | 112.3 ± 6.0 | 112.7 ± 5.6 | |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Dyslipidemia (%) | 25 (72.0) | 27 (73.0) | |
| Diabetes (%) | 19 (54.0) | 19 (51.0) | |
| COPD (%) | 15 (43.0) | 17 (46.0) | |
| CKD (%) | 16 (46.0) | 16 (43.0) | |
| Previous Stroke (%) | 5 (15.0) | 6 (16.0) | |
| Anemia (%) | 8 (23.0) | 9 (24.0) | |
| AFib (%) | 11 (32.0) | 12 (33.0) | |
| Fried criteria | |||
| Slowness (%) | 27 (77.0) | 29 (78.0) | |
| Weakness (%) | 28 (80.0) | 28 (76.0) | |
| Low Physical Activity (%) | 24 (69.0) | 22 (60.0) | |
| Exhaustion (%) | 10 (29.0) | 13 (35.0) | |
| Weight Loss (%) | 16 (46.0) | 19 (51.0) |
Data are means ± SD or percentages. AFib, Atrial Fibrillation; BMI, body mass index; CKD, chronic kidney disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; SBP, systolic blood pressure.