Table 1

Demographic and clinical characteristics according to the presence or absence of pneumothorax
Variable
 No pneumothorax
 Pneumothorax
 p value
Number of patients (%)
 36 (88)
 5 (12)
Gender (male/female)
 26/10
 4/1
 1
Age, years
 76.3 ± 10.4
 68.8 ± 18.0
 0.46
Body weight, kg
 58.5 ± 12.4
 57.0 ± 18.2
 0.98
APACHE II score
 20.7 ± 6.6
 26.0 ± 11.8
 0.41
Pre-existing comorbidities


     Chronic renal insufficiency
 4
 0
 1
     Congestive heart failure
 9
 2
 0.59
     Diabetes mellitus
 15
 2
 1
     Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
 5
 0
 1
     Pulmonary tuberculosis
 2
 2
 0.06
     Cerebrovascular disease
 17
 1
 0.37
On ICU admission


     Baseline lung injury score
 1.27 ± 1.04
 1.59 ± 0.59
 0.35
     Baseline respiratory rate
 25.32 ± 7.53
 36.00 ± 5.10
 0.006
     Baseline PaO2/FiO2 ratio
 289.9 ± 172.9
 272.6 ± 140.8
 0.87
     Baseline PaCO2
 35.7 ± 9.3
 49.4 ± 23.0
 0.20
During hospitalization


     Highest lung injury score
 1.59 ± 1.10
 2.51 ± 0.29
 0.09
     Highest respiratory rate
 34.65 ± 5.19
 40.80 ± 7.08
 0.06
     Lowest PaO2/FiO2 ratio
 210.1 ± 123.8
 65.8 ± 24.3
 0.02
     Highest PaCO2
 49.9 ± 17.4
 80.1 ± 12.3
 0.004
ALI/ARDS (%)
 24 (66%)
 4 (80%)
 1
Liberation from ventilator (%) at 30 days
 11(31)
 0
 0.29

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. ALI, acute lung injury; APACHE, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; FiO2, fraction of inspired oxygen; ICU, intensive care unit; PEEP, positive end-expiratory pressure.

Kao et al. Critical Care 2005 9:R440   doi:10.1186/cc3736