Table 3 Per-protocol analysis of randomized patients accepted by attending physicians

Sex, male

73 (72%; 63 to 81)

63 (61%; 50 to 70)

0.0763

Age, years

65 (19 to 84)

68.5 (20 to 88)

0,3229

SAPS 2

38 (9 to 78)

37 (10 to 85)

0.8156

Probability of death (SAPS 2)

0.21 (0.01, 0.91)

0.20 (0.01, 0.95)

0.8083

SAPS 3

58 (31 to 114)

60 (32 to 105)

0.6906

Probability of death (SAPS 3)

0.32 (0.02, 0.96)

0.36 (0.02, 0.93)

0.6932

APACHE II

20 (7 to 37)

19 (8 to 38)

0.5508

ISS, n

29 (16 to 57) [17]

31 (25 to 59) [10]

0.8204

SOFA admission

8 (1 to 17)

9 (1 to 20)

0.3666

SOFA decision

6 (2 to 17)

7 (2 to 15)

0.5511

Difference between SOFA

2 (-7 ; 9)

2 (-5 ; 10)

0.2849

Elective surgery

34 (33.7%; 25 to 44)

32 (30.8%; 22 to 41)

0.6575

Trauma

17 (16.8%; 10 to 26)

10 (9.6%; 5 to 17)

0.1266

Emergency surgery

12 (11.9%; 6 to 20)

21 (20.2%; 13 to 29)

0.1055

Medical condition

38 (37.6%; 28 to 48)

41 (39.4%; 30 to 50)

0.7913

Inhaled nitric oxide

12 (12%; 6 to 20)

13 (12.5%; 6 to 19)

0.8923

Prone decubitus

9 (9%; 4 to 16)

13 (12.5%; 7 to 21)

0.4065

Swan-Ganz catheter

17 (17%; 10 to 26)

17 (16%; 10 to 25)

0.9003

Renal replacement techniques

10 (10%; 4 to 17)

18 (17%; 11 to 26)

0.1226

Vasoactive drugs

84 (83%; 74 to 90)

95 (91%; 84 to 96)

0.0786

Parenteral nutrition

26 (26%; 17 to 35)

25 (24%; 16 to 33)

0.7778

Intracranial pressure monitoring

17 (17%; 10 to 26)

8 (8%; 3 to 15)

0.0456

Circulatory assist

6 (6%; 2 to 12)

6 (6%; 2 to 12)

0.9583

Main reason for ventilatory support

Acute respiratory insufficiency

68 (67.3%; 56 to 76)

72 (69.2%; 59 to 78)

0.7696

Neuromuscular illness

3 (3%; 0.6, 9)

2 (1.9%; 0.2, 7)

0.6270

Coma (Glasgow coma scale <10)

27 (26.7%; 19 to 37)

20 (19.2%; 12 to 28)

0.2014

Decompensated COPD

3 (3%; 0.6, 9)

9 (8.6%; 4 to 16)

0.0831

Acute asthma attack

0

0

Other respiratory disease

0

1