TABLE 1.
Study group characteristics and comparison of quantitative and qualitative variables relative to length of hospital stay.
| Parameter | Total (N = 1,813) N (%) | Length of hospital stay (days) | P-value* | ||
|
|
|||||
| <5 | ≥5 | ||||
| Sex | Female | 791 (44%) | 552 (42%) | 239 (49%) | 0.006* |
| Male | 1,022 (56%) | 772 (58%) | 250 (51%) | ||
| BMI (kg/m2) | 18.5–24.9 | 328 (25%) | 238 (23%) | 90 (27%) | 0.513 |
| 25.0–29.9 | 502 (37%) | 380 (38%) | 122 (36%) | ||
| ≥30.0 | 512 (38%) | 388 (39%) | 124 (37%) | ||
| Type of AF | Paroxysmal | 702 (39%) | 528 (40%) | 174 (36%) | <0.001* |
| Persistent | 783 (43%) | 588 (44%) | 195 (40%) | ||
| Permanent | 328 (18%) | 208 (16%) | 120 (24%) | ||
| EHRA AF | I | 33 (6%) | 29 (7%) | 4 (4%) | 0.005* |
| IIa | 239 (27%) | 107 (26%) | 32 (30%) | ||
| IIb | 169 (32%) | 148 (36%) | 21 (19%) | ||
| III | 174 (33%) | 125 (30%) | 49 (45%) | ||
| IV | 9 (2%) | 7 (2%) | 2 (2%) | ||
| NRS | <3 | 1,484 (93%) | 1,091 (94%) | 393 (90%) | 0.028* |
| ≥3 | 117 (7%) | 75 (6%) | 42 (10%) | ||
| HF | No | 1,478 (82%) | 1,080 (82%) | 398 (81%) | 0.930 |
| Yes | 335 (18%) | 244 (18%) | 91 (19%) | ||
| DM | No | 1,431 (79%) | 1,029 (78%) | 402 (82%) | 0.037* |
| Yes | 382 (21%) | 295 (22%) | 87 (18%) | ||
| CKD | No | 1,569 (87%) | 1,156 (87%) | 413 (84%) | 0.114 |
| Yes | 244 (13%) | 168 (13%) | 76 (16%) | ||
| CS | No | 1,609 (89%) | 1,156 (87%) | 453 (93%) | 0.001* |
| Yes | 204 (11%) | 168 (13%) | 36 (7%) | ||
| HT | No | 783 (43%) | 511 (39%) | 272 (56%) | <0.001* |
| Yes | 1,030 (57%) | 813 (61%) | 217 (44%) | ||
| ACS | No | 1,627 (90%) | 1,183 (89%) | 444 (91%) | 0.367 |
| Yes | 186 (10%) | 141 (11%) | 45 (9%) | ||
| TD | No | 1,461 (81%) | 1,083 (82%) | 378 (77%) | 0.066 |
| Hyperthyroidism | 125 (7%) | 82 (6%) | 43 (9%) | ||
| Hypothyroidism | 227 (12%) | 159 (12%) | 68 (14%) | ||
| TG | <135 mg/dl | 1,135 (67%) | 816 (66%) | 319 (68%) | 0.805 |
| 135–200 mg/dl | 416 (24%) | 306 (25%) | 110 (23%) | ||
| >200 mg/dl | 153 (9%) | 110 (9%) | 43 (9%) | ||
| LDL | <70 mg/dl | 394 (23%) | 262 (21%) | 132 (28%) | <0.001* |
| 70–116 mg/dl | 681 (40%) | 464 (38%) | 217 (46%) | ||
| >116 mg/dl | 624 (37%) | 501 (41%) | 123 (26%) | ||
| HDL | <40 mg/dl | 446 (26%) | 282 (23%) | 164 (35%) | <0.001* |
| ≥40 mg/dl | 1,256 (74%) | 947 (77%) | 309 (65%) | ||
| Age (years) | Mean ± SD | 68.72 ± 12.09 | 67.37 ± 12.12 | 72.35 ± 11.25 | <0.001* |
| Median | 70.00 | 69.00 | 72.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 63.00–76.00 | 62.00–74.00 | 66.00–81.00 | ||
| NRS (points) | Mean ± SD | 0.94 ± 0.95 | 0.92 ± 0.94 | 1.00 ± 0.96 | 0.122 |
| Median | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 0.00–2.00 | 0.00–2.00 | 0.00–1.00 | ||
| BMI (kg/m2) | Mean ± SD | 28.78 ± 5.02 | 28.82 ± 4.98 | 28.70 ± 5.12 | 0.706 |
| Median | 28.30 | 28.30 | 28.10 | ||
| Quartiles | 25.00–32.00 | 25.10–32.00 | 24.70–31.75 | ||
| TG (mg/dl) | Mean ± SD | 124.17 ± 61.38 | 124.38 ± 61.09 | 123.62 ± 62.19 | 0.818 |
| Median | 110.00 | 111.00 | 108.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 83.00–149.00 | 82.50–149.50 | 83.50–147.00 | ||
| LDL (mg/dl) | Mean ± SD | 106.20 ± 45.57 | 110.23 ± 47.08 | 95.72 ± 39.55 | <0.001* |
| Median | 97.00 | 102.00 | 87.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 71.00–134.00 | 73.00–141.00 | 67.50–118.00 | ||
| HDL (mg/dl) | Mean ± SD | 48.57 ± 13.18 | 49.59 ± 13.06 | 45.91 ± 13.15 | <0.001* |
| Median | 47.00 | 48.00 | 44.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 39.00–57.00 | 40.00–57.00 | 37.00–55.00 | ||
| TC (mg/dl) | Mean ± SD | 167.68 ± 61.38 | 169.91 ± 46.50 | 161.89 ± 42.71 | 0.001* |
| Median | 159.00 | 161.00 | 155.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 135.00–197.00 | 136.00–199.00 | 132.00–188.00 | ||
| CRP (mg/L) | Mean ± SD | 7.06 ± 22.15 | 4.77 ± 17.18 | 12.04 ± 29.68 | <0.001* |
| Median | 1.77 | 1.58 | 2.66 | ||
| Quartiles | 0.93–4.38 | 0.85–3.42 | 1.15–7.78 | ||
| Albumin (g/dl) | Mean ± SD | 3.46 ± 0.58 | 3.35 ± 0.67 | 3.52 ± 0.52 | 0.160 |
| Median | 3.60 | 3.50 | 3.60 | ||
| Quartiles | 3.20–3.90 | 2.85–3.80 | 3.30–3.90 | ||
| Transferrin (g/L) | Mean ± SD | 2.54 ± 0.62 | 2.57 ± 0.60 | 2.52 ± 0.64 | 0.598 |
| Median | 2.49 | 2.48 | 2.50 | ||
| Quartiles | 2.14–2.89 | 2.16–2.87 | 2.11–2.90 | ||
| Lymphocytes (%) | Mean ± SD | 26.42 ± 9.26 | 27.37 ± 8.54 | 24.97 ± 10.13 | 0.007* |
| Median | 26.75 | 27.40 | 24.45 | ||
| Quartiles | 19.70–32.80 | 22.20–32.30 | 17.35–33.10 | ||
| PCT (ng/ml) | Mean ± SD | 0.68 ± 4.23 | 0.13 ± 0.21 | 0.89 ± 4.96 | 0.313 |
| Median | 0.08 | 0.09 | 0.08 | ||
| Quartiles | 0.03–0.18 | 0.03–0.15 | 0.03–0.22 | ||
| TSH (uIU/ml) | Mean ± SD | 1.65 ± 1.28 | 1.62 ± 1.24 | 1.73 ± 1.37 | 0.107 |
| Median | 1.32 | 1.32 | 1.31 | ||
| Quartiles | 0.88–2.06 | 0.88–2.02 | 0.87–2.13 | ||
| FT3 (pg/ml) | Mean ± SD | 2.98 ± 1.22 | 2.93 ± 0.60 | 3.04 ± 1.74 | 0.538 |
| Median | 2.90 | 2.96 | 2.86 | ||
| Quartiles | 2.57–3.19 | 2.61–3.24 | 2.52–3.13 | ||
| FT4 (ng/dl) | Mean ± SD | 1.43 ± 1.15 | 1.46 ± 1.43 | 1.38 ± 0.54 | 0.622 |
| Median | 1.33 | 1.32 | 1.34 | ||
| Quartiles | 1.13–1.54 | 1.14–1.53 | 1.09–1.57 | ||
| BNP (pg/ml) | Mean ± SD | 353.81 ± 563.52 | 294.67 ± 440.11 | 420.72 ± 671.35 | 0.014* |
| Median | 200.45 | 159.55 | 243.50 | ||
| Quartiles | 94.70–387.00 | 67.20–328.80 | 124.95–459.10 | ||
| NT-proBNP | Mean ± SD | 2,180.59 ± 4,561.61 | 1,827.13 ± 4,275.26 | 3,836.27 ± 5,434.93 | <0.001* |
| Median | 931.75 | 816.60 | 2,315.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 341.00–2,183.55 | 307.60–1,754.00 | 678.80–4,268.80 | ||
| K (mmol/L) | Mean ± SD | 4.38 ± 0.47 | 4.40 ± 0.43 | 4.33 ± 0.57 | 0.002* |
| Median | 4.37 | 4.40 | 4.29 | ||
| Quartiles | 4.09–4.63 | 4.11–4.66 | 4.00–4.59 | ||
| Na (mmol/L) | Mean ± SD | 140.09 ± 3.07 | 140.30 ± 2.75 | 139.54 ± 3.72 | <0.001* |
| Median | 140.00 | 141.00 | 140.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 139.00–142.00 | 139.00–142.00 | 138.00–142.00 | ||
| HbA1c (%) | Mean ± SD | 6.17 ± 0.91 | 6.13 ± 0.84 | 6.26 ± 1.05 | 0.026* |
| Median | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | ||
| Quartiles | 5.60–6.50 | 5.60–6.40 | 5.60–6.50 | ||
LOHS, length of hospital stay; N, number of patients; AF, atrial fibrillation; EHRA, European Heart Rhythm Association; NRS, Nutritional Risk Score 2002; BMI, body mass index; HF, heart failure; DM, diabetes mellitus; CKD, chronic kidney disease; CS, cerebral stroke; HT, hypertension; ACS, acute coronary syndrome; TD, thyroid disease; TG, triglycerides; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; TC, total cholesterol; CRP, C-reactive protein; PCT, procalcitonin; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone; FT3, free triiodothyronine; FT4, free thyroxine; BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; K, potassium; Na, sodium; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; p, t-test or Mann–Whitney U test for quantitative variables, Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact test for qualitative variables.
*Statistically significant (p < 0.05).