The reduced LVEF group had a higher proportion of patients with a previous history of coronary heart disease and heart failure, higher BNP, cardiothoracic ratio on chest X-ray, LV mass index, LV end-diastolic dimension, LV end-systolic dimension, and IVC (max and min) on echocardiography than the preserved LVEF group. This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and heart failure.