Table 2

Univariate associations with exercise capacity

VariablesLow METs
(n=251)
Medium METs (n=181)High METs
(n=148)
P valueEffect size
(95% CI)*
Age (years), mean (SD)60.7 (10.4)57.6 (10.6)53.3 (9.6)<0.0010.49 (0.32 to 0.66)
Sex, n (%)
 Female113 (45)68 (37.6)49 (33.1)0.050
 Male138 (55)113 (62.4)99 (66.9)
Race/ethnicity, n (%)
 Black83 (33.1)59 (32.6)41 (27.7)0.542
 Hispanic104 (41.4)83 (45.9)77 (52.0)
 White49 (19.5)29 (16)21 (14.2)
 Other or not documented15 (6)10 (5.5.)9 (6.1)
BMI, mean (SD)31.9 (6.4)32.9 (6.7)30.1 (5.2)0.0040.04 (−0.17 to 0.25)
CAD, n (%)56 (22.3)27 (14.9)28 (18.9)0.156
Hypertension, n (%)98 (39)64 (35.4)58 (39.2)0.691
Hyperlipidemia,
n (%)
83 (33.1)53 (29.3)51 (34.5)0.566
CKD, n (%)15 (6.0)6 (3.3)13 (8.8)0.1100.15 (0.08 to 0.23)
HF, n (%)94 (37.5)44 (24.3)31 (20.9)<0.001
COPD, n (%)59 (23.5)40 (22.1)24 (16.2)0.214
PVD, n (%)58 (23.1)38 (21.0)34 (23.0)0.858
% of predicted maximal HR, mean (SD)61.2 (8.6)64.9 (8.2)67.4 (7.7)<0.0010.56 (0.37 to 0.75)
Readmission, n (%)
 30-day67 (26.7)29 (16.0)21 (14.2)0.0030.13 (0.05 to 0.21)
 6-month†89 (35.5)47 (26.0)35 (23.6)0.0200.11 (0.03 to 0.19)
 1-year‡159 (63.3)93 (51.4)81 (54.7)0.0340.08 (0.00 to 0.16)
Hospitalizations per patient, mean (SD)3.2 (3.6)2.3 (2.3)2.5 (2.4)0.0070.26 (0.10 to 0.47)
  • Bold values indicate a statistically significant result.

  • *Effect size was calculated for significant estimates: Cohen’s d was calculated for age, BMI, peak heart rate, and hospitalizations per patient. Pearson’s r correlation was calculated for HF and 30-day, 6-month and 1-year readmission.

  • †Readmission within 6 months of discharge inclusive of 30 days.

  • ‡Readmission within 1 year of discharge inclusive of 30 days and 6 months.

  • BMI, body mass index; CAD, coronary artery disease; CKD, chronic kidney disease; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; HF, heart failure; HR, heart rate; METs, metabolic equivalents; PVD, peripheral vascular disease.