Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the 102 studied patients

Age (years)

69 (58 to 75)

71 (62 to 72)

68 (56 to 73)

0.18

Male gender

72 (71)

44 (73)

28 (67)

0.002

Body mass index (kg/m²)

25 (23 to 30)

25 (23 to 29)

26 (24 to 32)

0.31

SAPS II upon ICU admission

48 (40 to 63)

52 (42 to 65)

46 (34 to 58)

0.049

SOFA score upon ICU admission

8 (6 to 12)

10 (7 to 13)

8 (6 to 11)

0.04

Previous disease

   Hypertension

43 (42)

26 (43)

17 (41)

0.77

   Coronary artery disease

22 (22)

14 (23)

8 (19)

0.04

   Congestive heart failure

29 (28)

17 (27)

12 (29)

0.98

   Neurological disease

20 (20)

11 (18)

9 (21)

0.70

   Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

18 (18)

10 (17)

8 (19)

0.76

   Diabetes mellitus

20 (20)

10 (17)

10 (24)

0.37

   Cancer

41 (40)

26 (43)

15 (36)

0.44

   Liver cirrhosis

22 (21)

14 (23)

8 (19)

0.61

Admitting diagnosis group

   Medical

42 (41)

27 (45)

15 (36)

0.35

   Emergency surgery

45 (44)

23 (38)

22 (52)

0.16

   Elective surgery

15 (15)

10 (17)

5 (12)

0.55

Time from infection diagnostic to surgery (hours)

8 (4 to 24)

8 (5 to 24)

8 (4 to 24)

> 0.99

Source of sepsis

   Pulmonary

33 (32)

21 (35)

12 (29)

0.49

   Abdominal

54 (53)

25 (42)

29 (69)

0.02

   Other

15 (15)

14 (23)

1 (2)

0.03

Appropriateness of initial antibiotic therapy

68/89 (76)

39/52 (75)

29/37 (78)

0.71

Main variables obtained before intubation

   Systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg

22(39)

15 (45)

7 (29)

0.31

   SpO₂ below 80%

6 (10)

5 (15)

1 (4)

0.21

   Lactatemia (mmol/l)

2.5 (1.1 to 4.7)

2.5 (1.1 to 5.3)

2.3 (1.4 to 4.1)

0.80

   Vasopressors use

21 (21)

16 (27)

5 (12)

0.09

   Myorelaxant use to facilitate intubation

97 (98)

57 (95)

40 (98)

0.96