Table 2 Univariate comparisons of baseline characteristics at the time of initiation of low-dose corticosteroid therapy between survivors and non-survivors at 28 days

Age, years

63 (54-70)

68 (56-74)

0.1115

Sex, male

59 (59)

48 (62)

0.7315

Severity of illness

SAPS 3

76 (69-87)

85 (81-95)

< 0.0001

SOFA

10 (8-12)

12 (10-15)

0.0007

Site of infection

0.5389

   Lung

44 (44)

36 (46)

   Gastrointestinal tract

24 (24)

23 (30)

   Urinary tract

14 (14)

5 (6)

   Catheter related

0

5 (6)

   Skin and soft tissue

4 (4)

2 (3)

   Others

14 (14)

7 (9)

Bacteremia

35 (34)

32 (41)

0.4103

Time to initiation of antibiotic therapy, hour

-0.2 (-5.2-1.3)

-0.4 (-3.1-2.1)

0.3977

Appropriate antibiotics^a

52/61 (85)

30/43 (70)

0.057

Laboratory data

   Leukocytes, 10³/mm³

8.8 (1.6-19.9)

7.9 (0.3-17.0)

0.2221

   Platelet, 10³/mm³

88 (43-179)

65 (35-102)

0.0235

   Total bilirubin, mg/dL

1.4 (0.8-2.5)

1.4 (0.9-3.7)

0.3359

   Creatinine, mg/dL

1.3 (0.9-2.1)

1.7 (1.0-2.9)

0.1326

   Prothrombin time, %

61 (47-68)

53 (41-65)

0.058

   Albumin

2.9 (2.5-3.3)

2.6 (2.3-3.0)

0.0083

   Initial lactate, mmol/L

3.7 (2.6-5.5)

4.3 (2.9-9.6)

0.0382

Organ failure^b

   Respiratory

71 (71)

67 (86)

0.0181

   Coagulation

51 (51)

58 (74)

0.0015

   Liver

34 (34)

30 (39)

0.5383

   Renal

29 (29)

38 (49)

0.0071

Amount of fluid administered before vasopressor, L

1.5 (1.0-2.3)

1.6 (1.1-2.2)

0.263

Vasopressor (norepinephrine or equivalent) dose, μg/kg/min

0.36 (0.19-0.61)

0.67 (0.43-1.16)

< 0.0001

Need for mechanical ventilation

58 (58)

66 (85)

0.0001

Need for renal replacement therapy

18 (18)

40 (51)

< 0.0001

CIRCI^c

46/57 (81)

32/39 (82)

0.8679

Relative adrenal insufficiency^c

41/57 (72)

30/39 (77)

0.584

Time to initiation of low-dose corticosteroid therapy, hour

6.5 (3.6-13.9)

10.4 (5.5-23.3)

0.0135