Patient characteristics at baseline
| Group A (n = 20) | Group B (n = 7) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 51.2 (12.5) | 56.8 (17.8) |
| Sex (male/female) | 16/4 | 5/2 |
| Heart rate (beats/min) | 66 (9) | 71 (9) |
| Cardiothoracic ratio (%) | 54 (5) | 57 (2) |
| NYHA class | ||
| II (n) | 17 | 4 |
| III (n) | 3 | 3 |
| Drugs | ||
| Frusemide (n (mg)) | 19 (31.2 (16.8)) | 6 (39.1 (22.3)) |
| Digitalis (n) | 17 | 6 |
| ACE inhibitors (n) | 19 | 6 |
| Noradrenaline (ng/ml) | 662 (464) | 1206 (673) |
| ANF (pg/ml) | 66 (55) | 111 (79) |
| LVDd (mm) | 63.3 (7.8) | 37.1 (7.7) |
| LVDs (mm) | 52.2 (8.7) | 59.6 (8.1) |
| Fractional shortening (%) | 18.1 (6.5) | 11.7 (3.8) |
No parameters were significantly different between groups.
ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; ANF, atrial natriuretic factor; LVDd, left ventricular end diastolic diameter; LVDd, left ventricular end systolic diameter; NYHA, New York Heart Association.