Time-to-event curves were produced by the Kaplan-Meier method. Hazard ratios were calculated with the Cox proportional hazards model. Baseline characteristics showed that patients ¡Ý65 years old had less hypertensive and more ischemic HF, better quality of life (QoL) scores, higher plasma B-type natriuretic peptide and creatinine levels, and received less background neurohormonal therapy. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that FDC I/H improved mortality and event-free survival in elderly patients. The hazard ratios for mortality, first heart failure hospitalization, and event-free survival (both unadjusted and adjusted for baseline differences), were similar quantitatively and in direction of effect in both age groups.
In A-HeFT, FDC I/H improved outcomes in HF patients aged <65 or ¡Ý65 years, despite significant baseline differences between these age groups. Patients aged ¡Ý65 years, a group at greater mortality risk, had the greatest survival benefit from FDC I/H.