Table 1

Baseline characteristics of patients with heart failure

Income groupsAllLow-incomeMedian-incomeHigh-incomeP value
n633 098401 639190 16741 292
Baseline demographics
Age, years, mean (SD)71.7 (13.4)74.6 (11.7)68.3 (14.5)58.9 (12.6)<0.001
 ≥75, n (%)308 705 (48.8)231 539 (57.6)72 761 (38.3)4405 (10.7)<0.001
 65–74, n (%)165 987 (26.2)107 431 (26.7)49 760 (26.2)8796 (21.3)<0.001
 <65, n (%)158 406 (25.0)62 669 (15.6)67 646 (35.6)28 091 (68.0)<0.001
Male gender, n (%)323 573 (51.1)194 733 (48.5)96 457 (50.7)32 383 (78.4)<0.001
Charlson Comorbidity Index, mean (SD)6.49 (2.98)6.40 (2.97)6.78 (2.98)6.11 (3.06)<0.001
Comorbidities, n (%)
Hypertension482 638 (76.2)300 199 (74.7)151 610 (79.7)30 829 (74.7)<0.001
Diabetes mellitus258 863 (40.9)160 734 (40.0)80 407 (42.3)17 722 (42.9)<0.001
Stroke/TIA181 724 (28.7)119 711 (29.8)53 108 (27.9)8905 (21.6)<0.001
Vascular diseases368 897 (58.3)226 478 (56.4)117 955 (62.0)24 464 (59.2)<0.001
ESRD88 555 (14.0)54 582 (13.6)27 684 (14.6)6289 (15.2)<0.001
COPD251 642 (39.7)165 592 (41.2)74 750 (39.3)11 300 (27.4)<0.001
Malignancy96 215 (15.2)60 958 (15.2)28 955 (15.2)6302 (15.3)0.827
Autoimmune diseases41 480 (6.6)23 854 (5.9)15 108 (7.9)2518 (6.1)<0.001
Liver cirrhosis29 717 (4.7)18 246 (4.5)9576 (5.0)1895 (4.6)<0.001
Dyslipidaemia195 356 (30.9)103 933 (25.9)73 023 (38.4)18 400 (44.6)<0.001
CKD125 624 (19.8)75 543 (18.8)40 527 (21.3)9554 (23.1)<0.001
VHD40 031 (6.3)23 816 (5.9)13 499 (7.1)2716 (6.6)<0.001
Anaemia158 116 (25.0)101 442 (25.3)48 959 (25.7)7715 (18.7)0.001
Valvular heart surgery4053 (0.6)1565 (0.4)1717 (0.9)771 (1.9)<0.001
CABG12 349 (2.0)6337 (1.6)4202 (2.2)1810 (4.4)<0.001
AF118 744 (18.8)74 111 (18.5)37 075 (19.5)7558 (18.3)<0.001
Degree of urbanisation, n (%)<0.001
Urban309 424 (48.9)209 448 (52.1)71 285 (37.5)28 691 (69.5)
Suburban203 913 (32.2)127 761 (31.8)64 879 (34.1)11 273 (27.3)
Rural119 761 (18.9)64 430 (16.0)54 003 (28.4)1328 (3.2)
Medications, n (%)
ACEIs85 014 (13.4)51 916 (12.9)26 851 (14.1)6247 (15.1)<0.001
ARBs117 728 (18.6)61 179 (15.2)45 576 (24.0)10 973 (26.6)<0.001
Amiodarone57 169 (9.0)33 268 (8.3)19 144 (10.1)4757 (11.5)<0.001
Digoxin167 864 (26.5)114 885 (28.6)43 387 (22.8)9592 (23.2)<0.001
Beta-blockers145 048 (24.3)83 617 (20.8)54 795 (28.8)15 636 (37.9)<0.001
Diuretics336 887 (53.2)219 954 (54.8)97 190 (51.1)19 743 (47.8)<0.001
MRA*106 170 (16.8)61 396 (15.3)36 407 (19.1)8367 (20.3)<0.001
  • *MRA excluded.

  • ACEIs, ACE inhibitors; ; AF, atrial fibrillation; ARBs, angiotensin receptor blockers; CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; CKD, chronic kidney disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ESRD, end-stage renal disease; MRA, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (eplerenone/spironolactone); TIA, transient ischaemic attack; VHD, valvular heart disease.