Is the Blood Pressure Paradox Observed in All Heart Failure Patients?

Table 1

Patients’ demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics, comparison between diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

	All patients (𝑛=589)	Non-diabetic (𝑛=290)	Diabetic (𝑛=299)	p value
Clinical characteristics
Age (years), median (IQR)	79 (72–84)	80 (69–86)	78 (72–83)	0.06
Male sex, n (%)	261 (44.3)	131 (45.2)	130 (43.5)	0.68
Ischemic aetiology of HF, n (%)	235 (39.9)	100 (34.5)	135 (45.2)	0.008
Arterial hypertension history, n (%)	438 (76.7)	185 (66.1)	253 (86.9)	<0.001
Atrial fibrillation history, n (%)	269 (46.1)	134 (47.0)	135 (45.3)	0.68
LVSF, n (%)
Preserved	255 (44.7)	131 (46.1)	124 (43.2)
Mild LVSD	35 (6.1)	18 (6.3)	17 (5.9)
Moderate LVSD	85 (14.9)	38 (13.4)	47 (16.4)
Severe LVSD	196 (34.3)	97 (34.2)	99 (34.5)	0.76
NYHA class at admission (IV versus others), n (%)	355 (60.4)	163 (56.4)	192 (64.2)	0.05
SBP at admission (mmHg), median (IQR)	131 (115–152)	132 (113–151)	131 (115–152)	0.76
BMI at admission (Kg/m^2), median (IQR)	25.2 (22.6–27.7)	24.3 (22.1–27.0)	25.9 (23.2–28.5)	<0.001
Laboratory at discharge
Haemoglobin (g/dL), mean (SD)	11.8 (10.5–13.2)	12.0 (10.6–13.5)	11.8 (10.4–13.0)	0.20
Anaemia, n (%)	350 (60.2)	165 (57.9)	185 (62.5)	0.26
Creatinine (mg/dL), median (IQR)	1.30 (1.05–1.71)	1.28 (1.00–1.60)	1.37 (1.10–1.85)	<0.001
Renal dysfunction, n (%)	209 (35.8)	86 (30.1)	123 (41.4)	0.004
Sodium (mEq/L), median, IQR	138 (135–140)	138 (135–140)	137 (135–140)	0.54
Hyponatremia, n (%)	141 (24.4)	69 (24.4)	72 (24.3)	0.99
Total cholesterol (mg/dL), median (IQR)	151 (125–180)	156 (132–187)	142 (121–174)	0.002
C-reactive protein (mg/L), median (IQR)	12.8 (6.1–26.8)	12.9 (6.1–28.6)	12.8 (6.0–25.4)	0.50
BNP (pg/mL), median (IQR)	743.8 (304.0–1385.4)	722.8 (262.9–1326.6)	767.0 (337.0–1476.2)	0.20
Glycosylated haemoglobin (%), median (IQR)	6.2 (5.7–6.9)	5.8 (5.5–6.0)	6.9 (6.5–7.8)	<0.001
Discharge medication
Beta-blocker, n (%)	445 (75.9)	212 (73.4)	233 (78.5)	0.15
ACEi or ARB, n (%)	466 (79.4)	220 (76.1)	249 (82.6)	0.05
Spironolactone, n (%)	137 (23.4)	77 (26.6)	60 (20.2)	0.08
Statin, n (%)	353 (61.6)	152 (54.1)	201 (68.8)	<0.001
Antiplatelet drugs, n (%)	382 (66.4)	166 (58.9)	216 (73.7)	<0.001
HF death, n (%)	89 (15.1)	45 (15.6)	44 (14.7)	0.77

ACEi: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB: angiotensin II receptor 1 blocker, BMI: body mass index; BNP: B-type natriuretic peptide; HF: heart failure; IQR: interquartile range; LVSD: left ventricular systolic dysfunction; LVSF: Left ventricular systolic function; NYHA: New York Heart Association; SBP: systolic blood pressure.