Table 1 Characteristics of the control subjects and CHF patients.

Age (years)

48 ± 8

51 ± 12

0.35

Body weight (kg)

68.3 ± 9.4

64.1 ± 7.3

0.18

BMI (kg/m²)

23.4 ± 2.6

22.9 ± 2.8

0.68

Waist circumference (cm)

82 ± 7

85 ± 8

0.25

NYHA functional class

I

–

4 (24)

n.a

II

–

7 (41)

n.a

III

–

6 (35)

n.a

Blood biochemistry

Fasting blood glucose (mmol/L)

5.1 ± 0.5

5.4 ± 0.7

0.19

Insulin (pmol/L)

30.5 ± 12.6

35.8 ± 14.0

0.32

HOMA-IR

1.0 ± 0.4

1.2 ± 0.6

0.22

HbA1c (%)

5.1 ± 0.3

5.3 ± 0.4

0.08

HDL cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.61 ± 0.36

1.29 ± 0.41

0.03

LDL cholesterol (mmol/L)

2.79 ± 0.69

2.82 ± 0.74

0.93

Triglyceride (mmol/L)

1.03 ± 0.42

1.30 ± 0.94

0.34

Free fatty acids (μmol/L)

430 ± 195

362 ± 169

0.34

Plasma BNP (pg/mL)

–

428 ± 365

n.a

Echocardiography

LVEF (%)

–

30 ± 9

n.a

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing

Peak VO₂ (mL/kg/min)

33.5 ± 6.3

20.0 ± 4.6

 < 0.01

AT VO₂ (mL/kg/min)

18.1 ± 3.4

11.8 ± 2.1

 < 0.01

Medications

ACE inhibitors or ARBs

–

17 (100)

n.a

β blockers

–

16 (94)

n.a

Aldosterone antagonists

–

12 (71)

n.a

Statins

1 (8)

3 (18)

0.43