Table 1

Baseline characteristics of critically ill patients randomly assigned to the EMS group or the control group (mean ± SD)

EMS group

Control group

P

Age (years)

59 ± 23

56 ± 19

NS

Gender (male/female)

6/7

8/5

APACHE II admission

19 ± 3

18 ± 6

NS

SOFA admission

10 ± 3

8 ± 3

NS

SAPS 3 admission

66 ± 9

61 ± 14

NS

Mechanical ventilation (days, n)

9 ± 2 (4-10), 13

9 ± 3 (6-10), 12

Reasons of ICU admission (n)

Sepsis

5

5

Trauma

4

3

Neurologic (including cerebrovascular)

2

4

Other

2

1

Sedation (days, n)

5 ± 4, 9

6 ± 4, 11

Vasopressors (days, n)

5 ± 4, 10

5 ± 4, 10

Hyperglycemia (days, n)

4 ± 3, 11

4 ± 3,10

Glucocorticoids (n)

4

4

Neuromuscular blockers (n)

2

2

Aminoglycosides (n)

6

7

Sepsis developed (n)

9

10

Hyperglycemia was defined as blood glucose level >140 mg/dl

Numbers in brackets signify range of values.

APACHE = Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation; EMS = electrical muscle stimulation; ICU = intensive care unit; NS = not significant; SAPS = Simplified Acute Physiology Score; SD = standard deviation; SOFA = Sequential Organ Failure Assessment.

Gerovasili et al. Critical Care 2009 13:R161   doi:10.1186/cc8123