Table 3 Baseline comparison of protocol-care and usual-care groups

Age, mean (SD)

50.18 (17.86)

52.07 (18.51)

0.47

APACHE, mean (SD)

16.24 (22.65)

18.40 (27.43)

0.55

Gender %M

60 (62%)

59 (61%)

0.97

Intubated on admission to the unit n (%)

55 (57%)

45 (47%)

0.22

Infective status on admission: all three criteria n (%)

8 (8%)

5 (5%)

0.40

Infective status on admission: at least one criterion n (%)

77 (79%)

81 (84%)

0.37

Infective status on admission: no criteria n (%)

5 (5%)

3 (3%)

0.48

Admission diagnosis: elective surgery n (%)

55 (57%)

55 (57%)

0.93

Admission diagnosis: emergency surgery n (%)

15 (15%)

14 (15%)

0.86

Surgery type: thoracic n (%)

4 (6%)

5 (7%)

0.75

Surgery type: abdominal n (%)

37 (54%)

36 (52%)

0.92

Surgery type: ear, nose, and throat n (%)

4 (6%)

6 (9%)

0.53

Surgery type: orthopedic lower extremity n (%)

9 (13%)

4 (6%)

0.24

Surgery type: obstetrics and gynecology n (%)

13 (19%)

14 (20%)

0.83

Surgery type: orthopedic upper extremity n (%)

2 (3%)

3 (4%)

0.68

Surgery type: orthopedic spine n (%)

1 (1%)

1 (1%)

0.98

Admission diagnosis: trauma n (%)

15 (15%)

17 (18%)

0.68

Pre-unit length of stay, mean (SD) days

3.57 (5.58)

4.20 (5.89)

0.45

TISS-28 score day 1, mean (SD)

32.23 (5.21)

31.22 (6.12)

0.29