Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics of patient cohort
| Variable | Mean±SD | Median (25–75% IQR) | No of patients (%) |
| Age (years) | 71±10 | 73 (64–79) | 187 |
| Male gender | 143 (76.4) | ||
| Caucasian/Native American | 185/2 | ||
| NYHA | |||
| Class III | 172 (92.0) | ||
| Class IV | 15 (8.0) | ||
| Duration of heart failure (months) | 41.9±44.2 | 31 (6–65) | 187 |
| LVEF (%) | 27.3±12.2 | 24 (18–33) | 187 |
| Weight (kg) | 87±23 | 82 (73–97) | 187 |
| Height (cm) | 172±9 | 174 (166–178) | 187 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 29.2±6.7 | 28 (25–32.5) | 187 |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | 71±13 | 71 (62–80) | 187 |
| Systolic BP (mm Hg) | 113±21 | 110 (98–124) | 187 |
| Diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 63±11 | 60 (58–70) | 187 |
| Haemoglobin (g/dl) | 12.5±1.7 | 12.4 (11.1–13.7) | 99 |
| Serum creatinine, mg/dL | 1.6±0.6 | 1.5 (1.3–1.9) | 187 |
| GFR (ml/min/1.73 m2) | 46±15 | 45 (35–57) | 187 |
| Potassium (mEq/l) | 4.4±0.9 | 4.4 (4.1–4.7) | 187 |
| Sodium (mEq/l) | 139±4.1 | 140 (137–142) | 184 |
| MR-proANP (pmol/l) | 395±304 | 333 (202–476) | 187 |
| Copeptin (pmol/l) | 24.4±24.7 | 16.6 (7.3–31.1) | 187 |
| BNP (pg/ml) | 408±423 | 305 (118–521) | 187 |
| Troponin T (ng/ml) | 0.074±0.491 | 0.013 (0.005–0.035) | 187 |
| Aetiology of HF | |||
| Ischaemic | 101 (54.0) | ||
| IDCM | 56 (29.9) | ||
| Hypertension | 5 (2.6) | ||
| Valvular | 7 (3.7) | ||
| Other | 18 (9.6) | ||
| Diabetes | 28 (15) | ||
| Hypertension | 120 (64) | ||
| Hyperlipidaemia | 121 (65) | ||
| COPD | 49 (26) | ||
| History of CABG | 82 (44) | ||
| BiV pacemaker | 27 (14) | ||
| AICD | 50 (27) | ||
| History of MI | 91 (49) | ||
| History of CVA | 12 (6) | ||
| Never smoker | 68 (36) | ||
| Atrial fibrillation | 86 (46) | ||
| Aortic stenosis | 20 (11) | ||
| Aortic regurgitation | 46 (24) | ||
| Mitral regurgitation | 141 (75) | ||
| Tricuspid regurgitation | 130 (70) | ||
| History of valve replacement surgery | 17 (9) | ||
| Drugs | |||
| ACE1 | 140 (75) | ||
| ARB | 34 (18) | ||
| β-blocker | 147 (78) | ||
| Aldosterone blocker | 50 (27) | ||
| Digoxin | 113 (60) | ||
| Diuretic | 173 (92) | ||
| Aspirin | 114 (61) | ||
| Nitrates | 55 (29) | ||
| Antidysrhythmics | 40 (21) | ||
ACE1, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor; AICD, automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator; ARB, angiotension receptor blocker; BiV, biventricular; BMI, body mass index; BNP, B-type natriuretic peptide; BP, blood pressure; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CVA, cerebrovascular accident; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; IDCM, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; MI, myocardial infarction; MR-proANP, midregional proatrial natriuretic peptide; NYHA, New York Heart Association.