Study site—no. (%)
| | |
0.77
|
Australia
|
20 (45.5)
|
19 (48.7)
| |
Switzerland
|
24 (54.5)
|
20 (51.3)
| |
Age (years)—mean ± SD
|
67.7 ± 12.4
|
62.9 ± 16.8
|
0.14
|
Male sex—no. (%)
|
29 (65.9)
|
28 (71.8)
|
0.56
|
Weight (kg)—mean ± SD
|
80.6 ± 17.7
|
85.3 ± 31.4
|
0.39
|
APACHE II score—mean ± SD
|
24.9 ± 6.7
|
25.3 ± 7.0
|
0.77
|
Chronic health conditions—no.(%)
|
Diabetes mellitus treated with insulin
|
4 (9.1)
|
2 (5.1)
|
0.68
|
Chronic hemodialysis
|
1 (2.3)
|
1 (2.6)
|
> 0.99
|
Liver cirrhosis
|
1 (2.3)
|
1 (2.6)
|
> 0.99
|
Portal hypertension
|
1 (2.3)
|
3 (7.7)
|
0.34
|
Immunosuppression by disease
|
1 (2.3)
|
2 (5.1)
|
0.60
|
Immunosuppression by therapy
|
2 (4.5)
|
3 (7.7)
|
0.66
|
ICU admission source—no. (%)
| | |
0.91
|
Emergency department
|
13 (29.5)
|
13 (33.3)
| |
Hospital ward
|
18 (40.9)
|
13 (33.3)
| |
Operating room
|
7 (15.9)
|
9 (23.1)
| |
Another ICU
|
1 (2.6)
|
1 (2.3)
| |
Other hospitals
|
5 (11.4)
|
3 (7.7)
| |
Surgical admission—no. (%)
|
8 (18.2)
|
10 (25.6)
|
0.41
|
Primary site of infection—no. (%)
|
Respiratory
|
26 (59.1)
|
18 (46.2)
|
0.24
|
Gastrointestinal
|
10 (22.7)
|
14 (35.9)
|
0.19
|
Skin/soft tissues/bone
|
3 (6.8)
|
4 (10.3)
|
0.7
|
Urinary
|
1 (2.3)
|
1 (2.6)
|
> 0.99
|
Blood
|
2 (4.5)
|
0 (0.0)
|
0.5
|
Other
|
2. (4.5)
|
2 (5.1)
|
> 0.99
|
Organ-specific SOFA score—median [IQR]
|
Cardiovascular
|
3 [3, 3]
|
3 [3, 4]
|
0.06
|
Respiratory
|
2 [2, 3]
|
2 [2, 3]
|
0.80
|
Renal
|
1 [0, 3]
|
2 [0, 3]
|
0.27
|
Coagulation
|
0 [0, 0]
|
1 [0, 2]
|
0.006
|
Liver
|
0 [0, 1]
|
1 [0, 2]
|
0.14
|
NEq (μg/kg/min)—median [IQR]
|
0.05 [0.03, 0.10]
|
0.07 [0.02, 0.16]
|
0.32
|
Continuous vasoactive drugs at baseline—no. (%)
|
Noradrenaline
|
38 (86.4)
|
35 (89.7)
|
0.64
|
Adrenaline
|
4 (9.1)
|
2 (5.1)
|
0.68
|
Dobutamine
|
1 (2.3)
|
3 (7.7)
|
0.34
|
Vasopressin
|
1 (2.3)
|
2 (5.1)
|
0.60
|
Sedative and analgesic drugs at baseline—no. (%)
|
Propofol
|
31 (73.8)
|
33 (86.8)
|
0.15
|
Fentanyl
|
26 (61.9)
|
30 (78.9)
|
0.10
|
Midazolam
|
20 (47.6)
|
16 (42.1)
|
0.62
|
Morphine
|
5 (11.9)
|
3 (7.9)
|
0.55
|
Ketamine
|
2 (4.8)
|
2 (5.3)
|
> 0.99
|
Other treatments at baseline—no. (%)
|
Continuous renal replacement therapy
|
10 (22.7)
|
13 (33.3)
|
0.28
|
Hydrocortisonea for septic shock
|
19 (43.2)
|
16 (41.0)
|
0.84
|
Physiological variables
|
Fluid balance at baseline (ml)—median [IQR]
|
876 [− 21, 2600]
|
621 [− 67, 2378]
|
0.88
|
Heart rate (beats/min)—median [IQR]
|
85 [74, 99.5]
|
95 [80, 105]
|
0.10
|
Mean arterial pressure (mmHg)—mean ± SD
|
65.4 ± 8.35
|
66.1 ± 8.85
|
0.71
|
Creatinine level (mg/dl)—median [IQR]
|
1.23 [0.78, 2.12]
|
1.76 [1.14, 2.34]
|
0.044
|
Creatinine level (μmol/l)—median [IQR]
|
109 [69, 187]
|
156 [101, 207]
|
0.044
|
Lactate level (mmol/l)—median [IQR]
|
1.8 [1.4, 2.7]
|
1.95 [1.4, 3.1]
|
0.58
|
RASS prior randomization—median [IQR]
|
− 3 [− 4, 1]
|
− 3 [− 4, − 2]
|
0.69
|
Time from ICU admission to randomization (h)—median [IQR]
|
8.8 [3.6, 12.4]
|
11.1 [4.7, 19.1]
|
0.22
|
Time from ICU admission to start of vasopressors (h)—median [IQR]
|
1.4 [0.5, 3.5]
|
2.7 [0.4, 5.1]
|
0.39
|