Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Men, n (%)

173 (57.1)

24 (68.6)

0.21

Age (years), median (IQR)

68 (67–70)

75 (74–79)

0.001

BMI, median (IQR)

25.1 (24.8–25.8)

26.8 (24.1–28.1)

0.36

TSH (µU/ml), median (IQR)

1.6 (1.4–1.8)

1.14 (0.95–1.88)

0.27

Creatinine (mg/dl), median (IQR)

0.85 (0.82–0.88)

0.93 (0.88–1.05)

0.06

Na⁺ (mEq/l), median (IQR)

142 (142–143)

141 (140–144)

0.52

K⁺ (mEq/l), median (IQR)

4.3 (4.3–4.4)

4.5 (4.2–4.5)

0.30

Ca²⁺ (mEq/l), median (IQR)

9.2 (9.2–9.3)

9.2 (9.1–9.4)

0.98

COPD, n (%)

104 (34.3)

15 (42.9)

0.18

Hypertension, n (%)

166 (54.8)

22 (62.9)

0.21

Diabetes, n (%)

43 (14.2)

6 (17.1)

0.60

Dyslipidemia, n (%)

118 (38.9)

11 (31.4)

0.71

Chronic renal failure, n (%)

194 (64)

30 (85.7)

0.01

Pacemaker, n (%)

3 (1)

0 (0)

0.57

Beta-blockers, n (%)

74 (24.4)

9 (25.7)

0.66

Calcium-channel blockers, n (%)

59 (19.5)

7 (20)

0.76

RAS inhibitors, n (%)

130 (42.9)

18 (51.4)

0.20

Diuretics, n (%)

57 (18.8)

8 (22.9)

0.41

Antiarrhythmic, n (%)

4 (1.3)

0 (0)

0.51

Length of inhospital stay (days), median (IQR)

7 (7–8)

11 (8–15)

0.001