(a) BNP group Control group Characteristics (n = 225) (n = 227) Mean age (SD), years 70 (16) 71 (15) Women 93 (41) 97 (43) Mean glomerular filtration rate (SD), 65 (31) 63 (35) mL/min Symptoms Dyspnea (b) Slight hill 32 (14) 33 (15) Level ground 125 (56) 132 (58) At rest 66 (29) 58 (26) Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea 79 (35) 87 (38)
Nycturia 60 (27) 76 (33) Chest pain 76 (34) 78 (34) Coughing 101 (45) 123 (54) Expectoration 72 (32) 87 (38) Fever 59 (26) 50 (22) Final discharge diagnosis (c) Acute HF 101 (45) 116 (51) Exacerbated COPD/asthma 51 (23) 25 (11) Pulmonary embolism 10 (4) 11 (5) Pneumonia 32 (14) 30 (13) Anxiety disorder 7 (3) 9 (4) Other disease (d) 26 (12) 33 (15) Unknown cause 8 (4) 12 (5) (a) Values are expressed as n (%) unless otherwise indicated.