Table 1 Baseline data of the study cohort (clinical characteristics, echocardiographic parameters, and drug therapy)

Clinical characteristics

 Patients n

195

99

96

 Age, years

67.4 ± 6.5

68.1 ± 6.6

66.9 ± 6.4

n.s

 Male, n (%)

144 (74%)

71 (72%)

73 (76%)

n.s

 Smokers (%)

102 (52.3%)

52 (52.5%)

50 (52%)

n.s

 Dyslipidemia (%)

102 (52%)

52 (53)

50 (52)

n.s

 Obesity

12 (6.1%)

7 (7%)

5 (5.2%)

n.s

 Hypertension

136 (69.7%)

71 (71.7%)

65 (67.7%)

n.s

 Renal insufficiency (%)

18 (9.2%)

10 (10.1%)

8 (8.3%)

n.s

 Ischemic HF (%)

128 (65.6%)

67 (68%)

61 (63.5%)

n.s

 Non ischemic HF (idiopathic, hypertensive, or valvular) (%)

67 (34.4%)

32 (32.2%)

35 (36.4%)

n.s

 Previous cardiac surgery (%)

35 (18%)

17 (18%)

18 (19%)

n.s

 NYHA II (%)

102 (52.3%)

53 (53.5%)

50 (52%)

n.s

 NYHA III (%)

93 (47.7%)

49 (49.5%)

44 (45.8%)

n.s

 QRS duration

136.4 ± 7.8

137.3 ± 7.4

135.3 ± 8.1

n.s

 6MWT

244.1 ± 39.8

239.5 ± 44.7

248.7 ± 33.8

n.s

 NT-proBNP (pg/ml)

2307 ± 631

2322 ± 567

2281 ± 723

n.s

 Hb1Ac (mmol/mol)

57.8 ± 15.6

57.2 ± 15.3

58.2 ± 16.1

n.s

Echocardiographic parameters

 LVEDv (ml)

198 ± 39

196 ± 31

201 ± 45

n.s

 LVESv (ml)

137 ± 29

135 ± 23

141 ± 36

n.s

 LVEF (%)

27 ± 5

27 ± 5

28 ± 4

n.s

Mitral regurgitation

 +

91 (46.7%)

44 (44.4%)

n.s

 ++

77 (39.5%)

40 (40.4%)

37 (38.5%)

n.s

 +++

19 (9.7%)

9 (9.1%)

10 (10.4%)

n.s

Drug therapy

 ACE-i/ARB

170 (87.2%)

86 (86.8%)

84 (87.5%)

n.s

 Beta blockers

137 (70.3%)

70 (71%)

67 (69.8%)

n.s

 Diuretics

117 (60%)

58 (58.6%)

59 (61.5%)

n.s

 Digoxin

43 (22%)

21 (21.2%)

22 (22.9%)

n.s

 Statins

113 (57.9%)

56 (56.6%)

57 (59.4%)

n.s

 Insulin

72 (36.9%)

35 (35.3%)

37 (38.5%)

n.s

 Oral hypoglycemic drugs

131 (67.2%)

68 (68.7%)

63 (66%)

n.s

 Anti platelets drugs

130 (66.7%)

64 (63.6%)

65 (67.7%)

n.s

 Dicumarolic anticoagulants

18 (9.2%)

9 (9%)

9 (9.4%)

n.s