Table 1 Demographics and baseline characteristics of randomized patients

Age (years)

44.9 ± 17.8

47.2 ± 16.3

0.503

Male

78 (65.0%)

83 (69.2%)

0.583

Weight (kg)

78 (70.0 to 90.0)

80 (72.0 to 95.5)

0.079

APACHE II

21.4 ± 7.9

22.1 ± 8.79

0.545

SOFA

10.4 ± 2.9

10.6 ± 3.5

0.738

GFR calculated by MDRD (ml/s)

1.20 (0.77 to 1.80)

1.19 (0.88 to 1.59)

0.813

Diagnostic group n (%)

Cardiac surgery

4 (3.3%)

2 (1.7%)

0.685

Neurology and neurosurgery

3 (2.5%)

3 (2.5%)

1,000

Surgery

18 (15.0%)

30 (25.0%)

0.075

Gastroenterology

22 (18.3%)

14 (11.7%)

0.205

Traumatology

43 (35.8%)

45 (37.5%)

0.788

Respiratory failure

2 (1.7%)

7 (5.8%)

0.171

Circulatory failure

24 (20.0%)

18 (15.0%)

0.396

Other

4 (3.3%)

1 (0.8%)

0.370

Type of infection n (%)

Not identified

0 (0.0%)

2 (1.6%)

0.498

Abdominal

23 (19.2%)

31 (25.8%)

0.357

Respiratory

66 (55.0%)

61 (50.8%)

0.605

Soft tissues, skin

5 (4.2%)

6 (5.0%)

1.000

Bloodstream

10 (8.3%)

11 (9.2%)

1.000

Uroinfection

11 (9.2%)

6 (5.0%)

0.314

Central nervous system

3 (2.5%)

2 (1.6%)

1.000

More sources

2 (1.6%)

1 (0.8%)

1.000

Nosocomial infection

110 (91.7%)

113 (94.2%)

0,616

Concomitant ATB therapy n (%)

58 (48.3%)

61 (50.8%)

0.796

Concomitant ATB therapy potentially active against GNB

11 (9.2%)

6 (5.0%)

0.314

Previous ATB therapy n (%)

114 (95.0%)

113 (94.2%)

1.000

Previous ATB therapy (days)

7.0 (6.0 to 8.0)

7.0 (6.0 to 8.0)

0.338

Number of previous ATB

3 (3 to 5)

4 (3 to 5)

0.509

Empiric therapy n (%)

6 (5.0%)

7 (5.8%)

1.000

Length of ICU stay before meropenem therapy (days)

9.0 (5.0 to 16.0)

7.0 (3.0 to 11.0)

0.036

Leucocytes (x 10⁹/L)

15.9 (11.5 to 21.1)

14.1 (11.2 to 19.6)

0.437

CRP (mg/L)

155 (115 to 197)

199 (117 to 262)

0.090