Clinical characteristics at baseline
| Total (n = 208) | Intervention group (n = 103) | Control group (n = 105) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data are mean (SD). | ||||
| BNP, brain natriuretic peptide; NS, not significant; NYHA, New York Heart Association. | ||||
| Age (years) | 75.8 (7.1) | 75.9 (7.7) | 75.7 (6.6) | NS |
| Male sex | 120 (58%) | 58 (56%) | 62 (59%) | NS |
| Marital status single | 93 (52%) | 46 (52%) | 47 (52%) | NS |
| NYHA class I/II/III/IV | 0/129/77/2 | 0/60/43/0 | 0/69/34/2 | NS |
| Ejection fraction (%) | 0.34 (0.11) | 0.34 (0.12) | 0.35 (0.11) | NS |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 134 (25) | 135 (24) | 133 (26) | NS |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg) | 79 (14) | 79 (14) | 79 (13) | NS |
| Plasma BNP (pmol/l) | 331 (36)9 | 342 (323) | 320 (412) | NS |
| Serum creatinine (μmol/l) | 115 (37) | 114 (36) | 117 (39) | NS |
| Medical history | ||||
| Previously known heart failure | 119 (57%) | 59 (57%) | 60 (57%) | NS |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 139 (67%) | 65 (63%) | 74 (70%) | NS |
| Arrhythmia | 111 (53%) | 54 (52%) | 57 (54%) | NS |
| Hypertension | 65 (31%) | 38 (37%) | 27 (26%) | NS |
| Diabetes mellitus | 46 (22%) | 26 (25%) | 20 (19%) | NS |
| Cardiomyopathy | 20 (10%) | 10 (10%) | 10 (10%) | NS |
| Valve disease | 17 (8%) | 9 (8%) | 8 (8%) | NS |