Table 1 Patients’ main characteristics

Age (years)

72.55 ± 8.02

72.60 ± 7.98

72.33 ± 7.73

72.69 ± 8.16

72.57 ± 8.22

0.946

Male (%)

60.2

48.1

55.2

68.2^ab

69.4^ab

< 0.001

Body mass index (kg/m²)

24.79 ± 3.83

24.30 ± 3.90

25.05 ± 3.73^a

25.28 ± 3.76^a

24.53 ± 3.88^c

0.003

Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)

135.19 ± 20.44

137.55 ± 21.45

137.13 ± 20.16

135.74 ± 18.83

130.32 ± 20.51^abc

< 0.001

Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)

75.30 ± 12.32

75.74 ± 12.45

75.42 ± 12.33

75.54 ± 11.84

74.48 ± 12.68

0.560

Heart rate (bpm)

77.44 ± 15.63

77.86 ± 15.98

77.01 ± 14.91

75.43 ± 15.38^a

79.47 ± 16.01^bc

0.008

Hypertension (%)

74.6

72.0

74.9

73.8

77.7

0.374

Coronary artery disease (%)

77.7

78.5

79.4

77.6

75.4

0.636

Diabetes mellitus (%)

36.1

38.6

35.7

34.4

35.6

0.698

Atrial fibrillation (%)

51.1

50.1

52.8

49.1

52.5

0.724

Chronic kidney disease (%)

34.4

12.4

22.1^a

37.1^ab

66.2^abc

< 0.001

D-dimer (ng/mL)

0.995 ± 1.679

0.935 ± 1.679

0.758 ± 1.171

0.797 ± 0.944

1.493 ± 2.430^abc

< 0.001

NT-proBNP (pg/mL)

3199.13 ± 5299.74

2168.67 ± 3310.89

2189.35 ± 3007.43

2476.91 ± 4077.70

5980.14 ± 8117.76^abc

< 0.001

Albumin (g/L)

39.21 ± 4.14

38.77 ± 4.45

39.83 ± 3.84^a

39.63 ± 3.87^a

38.61 ± 4.24^bc

< 0.001

Creatinine (mg/dL)

97.22 ± 50.94

77.39 ± 38.28

86.44 ± 40.67^a

96.20 ± 32.96^ab

129.06 ± 68.48^abc

< 0.001

Sodium (mmol/L)

140.55 ± 3.92

140.57 ± 4.54

140.74 ± 3.72

140.92 ± 3.29

139.96 ± 3.98^abc

0.010

Cholesterol (mmol/L)

3.88 ± 0.98

3.83 ± 1.00

4.00 ± 0.96^a

3.92 ± 0.98

3.79 ± 0.97^b

0.021

Haemoglobin (g/L)

129.83 ± 19.81

127.59 ± 17.84

131.17 ± 17.73^a

132.32 ± 19.56^a

128.24 ± 23.31^c

0.004

LVEF (%)

48.05 ± 11.68

50.09 ± 11.10

49.53 ± 11.13

48.14 ± 11.98^a

44.44 ± 11.70^abc

< 0.001

Left atrial diameter (mm)

41.67 ± 6.42

40.32 ± 6.46

41.29 ± 6.34^a

41.73 ± 6.03^a

43.35 ± 6.50^abc

< 0.001

LVESD (mm)

37.98 ± 9.47

35.73 ± 8.00

37.14 ± 8.85^a

38.24 ± 9.96^a

40.83 ± 10.21^abc

< 0.001

LVEDD (mm)

50.85 ± 8.82

48.73 ± 7.49

50.20 ± 8.17^a

51.26 ± 9.14^a

53.22 ± 9.73^abc

< 0.001

ACEI or ARB (%)

60.3

58.4

59.6

62.6

60.5

0.713

Calcium-channel blockers (%)

44.5

44.5

45.1

44.1

44.2

0.993

Beta-blockers (%)

74.0

70.8

76.7

71.5

77.2

0.113

Other diuretics (%)

45.5

28.3

41.6^a

41.2^a

70.9^abc

< 0.001

Digoxin (%)

28.7

19.2

25.4

27.9^a

42.4^abc

< 0.001

Nitrates (%)

63.8

64.9

63.1

63.5

63.5

0.966

Aspirin/clopidogrel (%)

77.3

76.7

79.4

82.1

70.9^bc

0.004

Warfarin (%)

15.4

17.1

14.7

12.9

16.9

0.386

Statins (%)

78.4

82.3

84.1

79.1

68.0^abc

< 0.001

Spironolactone (%)

45.9

31.9

41.3^a

46.5^a

64.1^abc

< 0.001

Length of stay (days)

11.33 ± 8.56

11.15 ± 8.64

10.74 ± 7.93

10.51 ± 7.24

12.92 ± 10.04^abc

0.001

NYHA class III/IV (%)

36.3

26.9

26.5

35.0^ab

56.7^abc

< 0.001