Characteristics of REFER participants with and without heart failure
| Characteristic | Heart failure (N= 104) N (%) | No heart failure (N= 200) N (%) | Heart failure versus no heart failure P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 77.4 (7.4) | 72.1 (9.0) | <0.0001 |
| Male | 52 (50.0) | 72 (36.0) | 0.0200 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 29.1 (5.7) | 31.1 (6.7) | 0.0080 |
| Breathlessness | 84 (80.8) | 163 (81.5) | 0.8800 |
| Ankle oedema | 87 (83.7) | 161 (80.5) | 0.5000 |
| Lethargy | 72 (69.2) | 154 (77.0) | 0.1400 |
| Basal crepitations | 4 (3.9) | 12 (6.0) | 0.4200 |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 17 (16.4) | 17 (8.5) | 0.0400 |
| Hypertension | 79 (76.0) | 142 (71.0) | 0.3600 |
| Diabetes | 29 (27.9) | 57 (28.5) | 0.9100 |
| Depression | 17 (16.4) | 56 (28) | 0.0200 |
| COPD | 7 (6.7) | 10 (5) | 0.5300 |
| Arthritis | 55 (52.9) | 128 (64) | 0.0600 |
| ACE inhibitors | 38 (36.5) | 60 (30.0) | 0.2500 |
| Beta-blockers | 46 (44.2) | 36 (18.0) | <0.0001 |
| ARBs | 19 (18.3) | 39 (19.5) | 0.8000 |
| Diuretics | 61(58.6) | 75 (37.5) | 0.0004 |
| NT-proBNP (pg/ml) median [IQR] | 715.5 [413 to 1559] | 126 [60 to 233] | <0.0001 |
| NT-proBNP ≥ 125 pg/ml N (%) | 98 (94.2) | 102 (51.0) | <0.0001 |
| NT-proBNP ≥ 400 pg/ml N (%) | 80 (76.9) | 17 (8.5) | <0.0001 |
ACE = angiotensin-converting enzyme. ARBs = angiotensin receptor blockers. BMI = body mass index. COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. IQR = interquartile range. SD = standard deviation. NT-proBNP = N-Terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide levels.