Table 1 Demographic and clinical variables of the patients eligible for the study. Values are reported as median [1st, 3rd] quartiles or number of patients (percentage of patients)

Age (years)

57 [49, 68]

63 [48, 70]

54 [50, 62]

60 [49, 73]

Male gender

12 (39)

6 (46)

4 (40)

2 (25)

Body mass index (Kg/m²)

27.4 [23.6, 30.7]

27.7 [25.8, 30.8]

27.0 [23.3, 29.0]

26.7 [23.2, 31.2]

SBP (mmHg)

120 [108, 130]

120 [114, 129]

117 [98, 130]

120 [100, 127]

DBP (mmHg)

80 [66, 80]

80 [67, 85]

70 [66, 80]

80 [66, 80]

Digestive involvement

 Yes

14 (45)

5 (38)

2 (20)

7 (88)

 No

15 (48)

7 (54)

7 (70)

1 (12)

 Unknown

2 (7)

1 (8)

1 (10)

0 (0)

NYHA class

 Class I

13 (42)

10 (77)

2 (20)

1 (12)

 Class II

8 (26)

3 (23)

4 (40)

1 (12)

 Class III

9 (29)

0 (0)

4 (40)

5 (63)

 Class IV

1 (3)

0 (0)

0 (0)

1 (12)

Medications in use

 Betablockers

24 (77)

9 (69)

9 (90)

6 (75)

 Amiodarone

14 (45)

1 (8)

7 (70)

6 (75)

 Amlodipine

2 (6)

1 (8)

1 (10)

0 (0)

 Diuretics

25 (81)

8 (62)

10 (100)

7 (87)

 Hydralazine

3 (10)

0 (0)

2 (20)

1 (12)

 Nitrates

2 (6)

0 (0)

1 (10)

1 (12)

 ACE-I

19 (61)

6 (46)

7 (70)

6 (75)

 Angiotensin II antagonists

10 (32)

5 (38)

3 (30)

2 (25)

Rassi score variables

 NYHA III or IV

10 (32)

0 (0)

4 (40)

6 (75)

 Cardiomegaly

12 (39)

0

4 (40)

8 (100)

 Wall-motion abnormalities

27 (87)

9 (69)

10 (100)

8 (100)

 Nonsustained VT

5 (16)

0 (0)

3 (30)

2 (25)

 Low QRS voltage

8 (26)

1 (8)

3 (30)

4 (50)

 Male gender

12 (39)

6 (46)

4 (40)

2 (25)