Table 1 Clinical and neurohormonal characteristics of the patients.

n

97

45

Age (median) (yrs)

74.8 ± 10.4 (77)

71.4 ± 8.3 (72)

0.0054*

Gender male n (%)

56 (58)

21 (47)

0.2186

Body mass index (kg/m²)

22.1 ± 3.7 (22.2)

20.8 ± 3.6 (20.7)

0.0796

Open-heart surgery n (%)

21 (22)

32 (71)

< 0.0001

Mitral prosthesis n (%)

10 (10)

22 (49)

< 0.0001

Postoperative period (median) (yrs)

19.7 ± 11.0 (19)

21.1 ± 9.3 (21)

0.6290*

Hypertension n (%)

56 (58)

12 (27)

0.0005

Diabetes mellitus n (%)

25 (26)

12 (27)

0.9103

Dyslipidemia n (%)

22 (23)

4 (8)

0.0617

AngiotensinII receptor blockers/angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitors n (%)

74 (76)

24 (53)

0.0067

Digitalis n (%)

21 (23)

23 (55)

0.0004

Calcium channel blockers n (%)

32 (36)

12 (29)

0.4245

β blockers n (%)

35 (39)

9 (21)

0.0426

Warfarin n (%)

37 (42)

29 (69)

0.0030

Diuretics n (%)

55 (61)

37 (88)

0.0020

Spironolactone n (%)

34 (38)

26 (62)

0.0094

NYHA II n

77

36

0.9321

III n

20

9

Dyspnea n (%)

84 (88)

40 (91)

0.7752

General malaise n (%)

9 (9)

14 (31)

0.0018

Extra sound n (%)

8 (9)

1 (2)

0.2711

LV distension n (%)

33 (41)

22 (54)

0.1948

Hepatomegaly n (%)

32 (33)

24 (53)

0.0244

Peripheral edema n (%)

50 (52)

21 (47)

0.5486

Systolic blood pressure (median) (mmHg)

136.2 ± 23.6 (134.0)

134.4 ± 17.2 (132.0)

0.6778*

Diastolic blood pressure (median) (mmHg)

74.2 ± 14.8 (72.0)

72.3 ± 13.2 (70.0)

0.2300*

Heart rate (median) (bpm)

81.3 ± 66.5 (72.0)

74.4 ± 17.0 (72.0)

0.6566*

ANP (median) (pg/ml)

122.5 ± 185.4 (82.0)

29.0 ± 59.6 (15.0)

< 0.0001*

BNP (median) (pg/ml)

380.7 ± 259.1 (318.0)

59.7 ± 27.1 (60.8)

Plasma aldosterone (median) (ng/dl)

6.9 ± 5.7 (5.0)

17.6 ± 24.1 (10.8)

< 0.0001*

Plasma norepinephrine (median) (ng/ml)

0.45 ± 0.29 (0.40)

0.38 ± 0.20 (0.36)

0.4405*

Serum creatinine (median) (mg/dl)

1.07 ± 0.46 (0.94)

0.96 ± 0.48 (0.90)

0.2460*

Hemoglobin (median) (g/dl)

11.9 ± 2.1 (12.1)

11.8 ± 2.1 (12.3)

0.9163*

Serum sodium (median) (mEq/L)

140.2 ± 3.9 (141.0)

140.1 ± 8.6 (140.0)

0.1607*

Chest radiograph:

   Cardiothoracic ratio (%)

61.2 ± 10.0

66.0 ± 14.3

0.0484*

   Congestion n (%)

23 (26)

3 (12)

0.1826

   Effusion n (%)

44 (50)

23 (58)

0.4303

ECG:

   High voltage n (%)

10 (14)

4 (14)

> 0.9999

   ST change n (%)

34 (48)

13 (43)

0.6750

   Intraventricular conduction disturbance

   n (%)

18 (21)

10 (28)

0.4366

   Atrial fibrillation n (%)

47 (57)

29 (73)

0.0854

Pericardial thickness (median) (mm)

2.4 ± 1.1 (2.1)

2.9 ± 1.9 (2.0)

0.5886*