Strategy to recognize and initiate treatment of chronic heart failure in primary care (STRETCH): a cluster randomized trial

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the 585 participants, divided in the intervention and care as usual group

Characteristics	All	Care as usual	Intervention*
	n = 585	n = 351 (60%)	n = 234 (40%)	p-value
General
Mean age in years ± sd	74.1 ± 6.3	73.8 ± 6.1	74.4 ± 6.5	0.25
Female sex	319 (54.5)	181 (51.6)	138 (59.0)	0.08
MRC dyspnea score ≥ 3	157 (26.8)	97 (27.6)	60 (25.6)	0.59
Cardiovascular comorbidities
Ischemic heart disease	116 (19.8)	70 (19.9)	46 (19.7)	0.93
Prior myocardial infarction	43 (7.4)	27 (7.7)	16 (6.8)	0.70
Prior PCI/CABG	47 (8.0)	29 (8.3)	18 (7.7)	0.80
Vascular comorbidity	351 (60.0)	217 (61.8)	134 (57.3)	0.27
Hypertension	310 (53.0)	196 (55.8)	114 (48.7)	0.09
Hypercholesterolemia	187 (32)	115 (32.8)	72 (30.8)	0.61
Diabetes Mellitus	79 (13.5)	47 (13.4)	32 (13.7)	0.92
Prior stroke or TIA	51 (8.7)	27 (7.7)	24 (10.3)	0.28
Peripheral arterial disease	35 (6.0)	22 (6.3)	13 (5.6)	0.72
Atrial fibrillation	42 (7.2)	33 (9.4)	9 (3.8)	0.01
Non-cardiovascular comorbidities
Cognitive disorders	110 (18.8)	50 (14.2)	60 (25.6)	0.001
Asthma/COPD	323 (55.2)	200 (57.0)	123 (52.6)	0.29
Depression	72 (12.3)	39 (11.1)	33 (14.1)	0.28
Medication
Loop diuretics	55 (9.4)	36 (10.3)	19 (8.1)	0.39
Thiazide diuretics	147 (25.1)	89 (25.4)	58 (24.8)	0.88
ACE-inhibitors	120 (20.5)	70 (19.9)	50 (21.4)	0.68
ARBs	128 (21.9)	83 (23.6)	45 (19.2)	0.21
Beta-blockers	128 (21.9)	79 (22.5)	49 (20.9)	0.65
Digitalis	5 (0.9)	4 (1.1)	1 (0.4)	0.36
Aldosterone antagonists	7 (1.2)	7 (2.0)	0 (0.0)	0.03
Oral anticoagulants	51 (8.7)	37 (10.5)	14 (6.0)	0.06
Antiplatelets	147 (25.1)	84 (23.9)	63 (26.9)	0.41
Statins	179 (30.6)	110 (31.3)	69 (29.5)	0.63
Nitrates	41 (7.0)	26 (7.4)	15 (6.4)	0.64
Calcium channel blockers	76 (13.0)	54 (15.4)	22 (9.4)	0.04

Values are numbers (percentages).
*Intervention = a half-day training in the management of HF and the practical application of an up-titration scheme for HF-REF and HF-PEF.
Sd = standard deviation, MRC = medical research council, PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention, CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting, TIA = transient ischemic attack, COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ACE = angiotensin converting enzyme, ARB = angiotensin receptor blocker, HF = heart failure, HF-REF = heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, HF-PEF = heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

ISSN: 1471-2261