Table 1 Patient characteristics

Age, years

73 ± 9

76 ± 8

73 ± 8

0.078

Sex, female

86 (53%)

12 (44%)

74 (54%)

0.46

NYHA class

 II/III

163 (100%)

26 (100%)

137 (100%)

–

 IV

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

–

Body mass index, kg/m²

23.5 ± 3.6

23.3 ± 3.7

23.6 ± 3.6

0.69

Heart rate, beats/min

64 ± 12

70 ± 13

62 ± 10

0.002

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

135 ± 19

138 ± 19

134 ± 19

0.38

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

72 ± 11

73 ± 10

72 ± 12

0.84

History of heart failure hospitalization

56 (34%)

20 (77%)

36 (26%)

 < 0.001

Smoking

4 (9%)

0 (0%)

4 (3%)

0.18

Hypertension

99 (61%)

16 (61%)

83 (61%)

0.92

Dyslipidemia

91 (56%)

14 (58%)

77 (56%)

0.82

Diabetes mellitus

41 (25%)

11 (42%)

30 (22%)

0.028

Atrial fibrillation

50 (31%)

11 (42%)

39 (28%)

0.16

Medications

 Aspirin

97 (60%)

12 (46%)

85 (62%)

0.13

 Beta-blockers

62 (38%)

6 (23%)

56 (41%)

0.087

 Calcium channel blockers

51 (31%)

5 (19%)

46 (34%)

0.15

 ACE inhibitors/ARBs

66 (41%)

10 (38%)

56 (41%)

0.81

 Statins

85 (52%)

12 (46%)

73 (53%)

0.51

 Diuretics

18 (11%)

5 (19%)

13 (9%)

0.15

Blood tests

 Hemoglobin, g/dL

13.3 ± 1.3

13.2 ± 1.3

13.4 ± 1.3

0.69

 eGFR, mL/min/1.73 m²

62 ± 13

55 ± 14

63 ± 13

0.008

 BNP, pg/mL

114 ± 80

139 ± 110

109 ± 72

0.077

Echocardiography

 E/e’

14.4 ± 6.2

15.8 ± 10.7

14.2 ± 5.0

0.24

 Left atrial volume index, ml/m²

40 ± 15

49 ± 26

38 ± 12

0.003