Table 1

Patient characteristics at intensive care unit admission


Intention to treat
Modified intention to treat

Antibiotic treatment
n = 22
No antibiotic treatment
n = 36
P value
Antibiotic treatment
n = 18
No antibiotic treatment
n = 26
P value

Age, years
62 ± 15
67 ± 12
0.194
61 ± 15
67 ± 12
0.321
Male gender
15 (68)
24 (66)
>0.999
13 (72)
16 (61)
0.531
SAPS II
47 ± 14
47 ± 18
0.994
45 ± 17
48 ± 15
0.481
LOD score
6.6 ± 3.5
6.2 ± 3.6
0.711
6.5 ± 3.8
6.4 ± 3.9
0.990
McCabe


0.687


0.625
     Nonfatal underlying disease
10 (45)
14 (38)

10 (55)
11 (42)

     Ultimately fatal underlying disease
9 (40)
17 (47)

7 (38)
12 (46)

     Rapidly fatal underlying disease
3 (13)
5 (13)

1 (5)
3 (11)

Admission category


>0.999


0.409
     Medical
19 (86)
30 (83)

15 (83)
21 (80)

     Surgical
3 (13)
5 (13)

3 (16)
4 (15)

     Trauma
0 (0)
1 (2)

0 (0)
1 (3)

Comorbidities






     COPD
9 (40)
17 (47)
0.787
7 (38)
12 (46)
0.760
     Cardiac failure
6 (27)
4 (11)
0.156
6 (33)
3 (11)
0.128
     Cirrhosis
0 (0)
3 (8)
0.281
0 (0)
3 (11)
0.258
     Chronic dialysis
4 (18)
2 (5)
0.187
3 (16)
1 (3)
0.289
     Diabetes mellitus
6 (27)
3 (8)
0.070
5 (27)
3 (11)
0.204
Transfer from other wards
12 (54)
12 (33)
0.285
9 (50)
9 (34)
0.361
Prior antibiotic treatment
9 (40)
12 (33)
0.585
8 (44)
8 (30)
0.525
Infection at ICU admission
18 (81)
25 (69)
0.365
14 (77)
20 (76)
>0.999
Cause for ICU admission






     Community-acquired pneumonia
6 (27)
10 (27)
>0.999
6 (33)
6 (23)
0.506
     Acute exacerbation of COPD
3 (13)
14 (38)
0.073
3 (16)
9 (34)
0.303
     Congestive heart failure
3 (13)
1 (2)
0.319
3 (16)
1 (3)
0.289
     Neurologic failure
2 (9)
5 (13)
0.698
1 (5)
4 (15)
0.634
     Acute poisoning
2 (9)
2 (5)
0.681
2 (11)
2 (7)
>0.999
     Others
6 (27)
4 (11)
0.156
3 (16)
4 (15)
>0.999

Results of univariate analysis are presented. Data are expressed as frequency (percentage) or mean ± standard deviation. COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ICU, intensive care unit; LOD, logistic organ dysfunction; SAPS, Simplified Acute Physiology Score.

Nseir et al. Critical Care 2008 12:R62   doi:10.1186/cc6890