Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the three groups. Continuous variables are reported as medians [interquartile ranges] and were analyzed via the Mann-Whitney U test, while categorical variables are presented as counts (percentages) and were compared via either the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test

Number

4109

1302

1377

1430

Age, years

58.0 [48.0, 68.0]

58.0 [48.0, 67.0]

59.0 [48.0, 69.0]

58.0 [47.0, 69.0]

0.103

Female, n (%)

1162 (28.3)

339 (26.0)

388 (28.2)

435 (30.4)

0.039

History of smoking, n (%)

1390 (33.8)

447 (34.3)

489 (35.5)

454 (31.7)

0.098

History of drinking, n (%)

1034 (25.2)

312 (24.0)

382 (27.7)

340 (23.8)

0.026

Physical examination

BMI, kg/cm²

24.6 [22.0, 27.4]

24.5 [22.1, 26.8]

24.7 [22.1, 27.5]

24.5 [21.8, 28.0]

0.218

Heart rate, bpm

74.0 [64.8, 87.0]

72.0 [63.0, 82.0]

74.0 [64.5, 86.0]

78.0 [66.0, 91.0]

< 0.001

SBP, mmHg

115.0 [102.0, 130.0]

118.0 [104.5, 130.0]

115.0 [102.0, 130.0]

114.0 [101.0, 128.0]

< 0.001

DBP, mmHg

71.0 [64.0, 81.0]

71.0 [64.0, 80.0]

71.0 [64.0, 81.0]

72.0 [64.0, 81.0]

0.584

Laboratory examination

WBC, 10^9

6.9 [5.6, 8.4]

6.8 [5.6, 8.2]

6.8 [5.6, 8.4]

7.1 [5.7, 8.7]

< 0.001

Hb, g/L

140.0 [125.0, 153.0]

138.0 [125.0, 152.0]

139.0 [124.0, 153.0]

142.0 [126.0, 156.0]

< 0.001

ALT, IU/L

22.0 [14.0, 36.0]

22.0 [14.0, 36.0]

21.0 [14.0, 34.0]

23.0 [15.0, 40.0]

0.001

FBG, mmol/L

5.2 [4.7, 6.2]

5.1 [4.6, 5.9]

5.2 [4.7, 6.2]

5.4 [4.7, 6.6]

< 0.001

HbA1C, %

6.2 [5.8, 7.0]

6.1 [5.7, 6.7]

6.3 [5.8, 7.0]

6.4 [5.9, 7.1]

< 0.001

TG, mmol/L

1.3 [0.9, 1.8]

1.3 [1.0, 1.7]

1.3 [0.9, 1.8]

1.2 [0.9, 1.7]

0.001

HDL-C, mmol/L

1.0 [0.8, 1.2]

1.0 [0.8, 1.2]

1.0 [0.8, 1.2]

0.9 [0.8, 1.2]

< 0.001

LDL-C, mmol/L

2.4 [1.8, 3.0]

2.3 [1.8, 2.9]

2.4 [1.8, 3.0]

2.4 [1.8, 3.0]

0.311

eGFR-EPI, ml/min/1.73m²

80.2 [62.7, 96.7]

84.2 [66.8, 98.3]

80.5 [63.2, 96.9]

76.3 [59.1, 93.7]

< 0.001

hs-CRP, mg/dL

2.7 [1.0, 8.0]

1.8 [0.8, 5.0]

2.3 [0.9, 6.9]

4.2 [1.6, 10.6]

< 0.001

NT-pro BNP, pg/mL

1653.0 [556.0, 4431.0]

1189.5 [378.5, 2821.8]

1389.0 [501.0, 3794.0]

2745.0 [935.0, 6739.2]

< 0.001

Ultrasound examination

LVEDD, mm

59.0 [50.0, 68.0]

58.0 [49.0, 66.2]

59.0 [50.0, 67.0]

61.0 [51.0, 71.0]

< 0.001

LVEF, %

40.0 [30.0, 58.0]

42.3 [31.0, 60.0]

40.0 [30.0, 58.0]

36.0 [28.0, 54.0]

< 0.001

Comorbidity

DM, n (%)

1737 (47.9)

463 (40.7)

577 (47.7)

697 (54.4)

< 0.001

COPD, n (%)

256 (6.2)

71 (5.5)

100 (7.3)

85 (5.9)

0.132

Infection*, n (%)

694 (16.9)

163 (12.5)

222 (16.1)

309 (21.6)

< 0.001

CAD, n (%)

1737 (47.9)

463 (40.7)

577 (47.7)

697 (54.4)

< 0.001

Hypertension, n (%)

2064 (50.2)

651 (50.0)

702 (51.0)

711 (49.7)

0.784

AF, n (%)

1294 (31.5)

307 (23.6)

448 (32.5)

539 (37.7)

< 0.001

NYHA classification > II, n (%)

2459 (68.7)

658 (60.3)

796 (66.6)

1005 (77.8)

< 0.001

heart failure classification

< 0.001

HFrEF, n (%)

2026 (49.3)

561 (43.1)

661 (48.0)

804 (56.2)

HFmrEF, n (%)

709 (17.3)

250 (19.2)

229 (16.6)

230 (16.1)

HFpEF, n (%)

1374 (33.4)

491 (37.7)

487 (35.4)

396 (27.7)

Prescription upon discharge

Digoxin, n (%)

1595 (38.8)

449 (34.5)

519 (37.7)

627 (43.8)

< 0.001

Diuretic, n (%)

2803 (68.2)

895 (68.7)

903 (65.6)

1005 (70.3)

0.025

ACEI/ARB/ARNI, n (%)

2245 (54.6)

775 (59.5)

740 (53.7)

730 (51.0)

< 0.001

β-blocker, n (%)

3458 (84.2)

1104 (84.8)

1161 (84.3)

1193 (83.4)

0.609

MRA, n (%)

2660 (64.7)

799 (61.4)

868 (63.0)

993 (69.4)

< 0.001

SGLT2 inhibitors, n (%)

406 (9.9)

96 (7.4)

133 (9.7)

177 (12.4)

< 0.001