Table 2 Demographic, biological characteristics (a) and comorbidities (b) of patients based on their treatment trajectory (sDHD and dDHD) at DHD initiation

(a)

sDHD patients

dDHD patients^d

(n = 496)

(n = 257)

n (%)

n (%)

p

Gender

0.002

 Male

330 (66.5)

148 (57.6)

 Female

166 (33.5)

109 (42.4)

Age (years)

<0.001

  < 64

278 (56)

98 (38)

  ≥ 64

218 (44)

159 (62)

BMI (kg/m²)^a

<0.001

  < 18.5

27 (5.4)

23 (8.9)

 18.5–23

106 (21.4)

52 (20.2)

 23–25

70 (14.1)

35 (13.6)

  ≥ 25

249 (50.2)

81 (31.5)

 Missing

44 (8.9)

66 (25.7)

Albumin (g/dl)

<0.001

  < 30

68 (13.7)

86 (33.5)

  ≥ 30

374 (75.4)

116 (45.1)

 Missing

54 (10.9)

55 (21.4)

Hemoglobin (g/dl)

<0.001

  < 10

114 (23)

123 (47.9)

 10–12

226 (45.6)

69 (26.8)

  > 12

135 (27.2)

37 (14.4)

 Missing

21 (4.2)

28 (10.9)

Smoking status

0.003

 Current/former smokers

220 (44.4)

85 (33.1)

 Never smoker

232 (46.8)

134 (52.1)

 Missing

44 (8.9)

38 (14.8)

(b)

sDHD patients

dDHD patients^d

(n = 496)

(n = 257)

n (%)

n (%)

p

Diabetes

0.001

 Yes

194 (39)

97 (37.7)

 No

302 (61)

153 (59.5)

 Missing

0 (0)

7 (2.7)

Active malignancy^b

<0.001

 Yes

54 (10.9)

47 (18.3)

 No

439 (88.5)

199 (77.4)

 Missing

3 (0.6)

11 (4.3)

Respiratory Disease

<0.001

 Yes

81 (16.3)

35 (13.6)

 No

412 (83.1)

208 (80.9)

 Missing

3 (0.6)

14 (5.4)

Hepatic disease

<0.001

 Yes

17 (3.4)

7 (2.7)

 No

476 (96)

237 (92.2)

 Missing

3 (0.6)

13 (5.1)

Cardiovascular Disease^c

0.25

 0

206 (41.5)

91 (35.4)

 1

96 (19.4)

64 (24.9)

 2

82 (16.5)

43 (16.7)

  > 2

112 (22.6)

59 (23)

Physical and/or Psychiatric Disabilities

0.001

 Yes

89 (17.9)

58 (22.6)

 No

391 (78.8)

176 (68.5)

 Missing

16 (3.2)

23 (8.9)

 Walking disability

<0.001

 Walks without help

373 (75.2)

129 (50.2)

 Totally dependent for transfer

29 (5.8)

42 (16.3)

 Needs assistance for transfer

55 (11.1)

37 (14.4)

 Missing

39 (7.9)

49 (19.1)