About the Authors

Ryan Reid

Affiliation Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Justin A. Ezekowitz

jae2@ualberta.ca

Affiliations Division of Cardiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Paul M. Brown

Affiliation Canadian VIGOUR Centre, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Finlay A. McAlister

Affiliations Patient Health Outcomes Research and Clinical Effectiveness Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Brian H. Rowe

Affiliations Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Branko Braam

Affiliations Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Competing Interests

FAM and JAE online declaration of conflict of interest is outlined online (these conflicts are due to funding from public funding bodies of CIHR and AI-HS as we hold a grant in this field about the epidemiology of heart failure); This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: JAE FAM BHR BB. Performed the experiments: JAE FAM BHR BB. Analyzed the data: RR JAE PMB FAM BHR BB. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: JAE FAM BHR BB. Wrote the paper: RR JAE PMB FAM BHR BB.