Table 1 Baseline characteristics and macrolide use
Erythromycin (n = 235) | Controls (n = 470) | P-value | SMD* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographics | ||||
Age, years | 60.8 (13.6) | 60.9 (15.3) | 0.98 | 0.002 |
Sex, male | 162 (68.9) | 285 (60.6) | 0.031 | 0.174 |
Body mass index, kg m−2 | 25.5 [23.0, 29.3] | 25.5 [22.9, 29.1] | 0.63 | 0.062 |
Race, white | 208 (88.9) | 417 (88.9) | > 0.99 | 0.001 |
Admission data | ||||
Hospital A | 149 (63.4) | 233 (49.6) | 0.001 | 0.282 |
Admission type, surgical | 75 (31.9) | 114 (24.3) | 0.038 | 0.171 |
SDD use during admission† | 181 (77.0) | 325 (69.1) | 0.033 | 0.178 |
Chronic comorbidities | ||||
Charlson Comorbidity Index (without age) | 2 [0, 4] | 2 [0, 3] | 0.31 | 0.066 |
Any malignancy | 58 (24.7) | 103 (21.9) | 0.45 | 0.065 |
Non-metastatic solid tumor | 33 (14.0) | 49 (10.4) | 0.17 | 0.111 |
Metastatic malignancy | 6 (2.6) | 19 (4.0) | 0.39 | 0.083 |
Hematologic malignancy | 23 (9.8) | 37 (7.9) | 0.39 | 0.068 |
Diabetes mellitus (type 1 or type 2) | 49 (20.9) | 100 (21.3) | 0.92 | 0.010 |
Cerebrovascular disease | 28 (11.9) | 45 (9.6) | 0.36 | 0.076 |
Hemiplegia | 6 (2.6) | 17 (3.6) | 0.51 | 0.062 |
Chronic medication | ||||
Any immunosuppressant | 32 (13.7) | 72 (15.8) | 0.50 | 0.061 |
Antiplatelet drugs | 63 (26.9) | 123 (27.0) | > 0.99 | 0.002 |
Calcium-entry blockers | 43 (18.3) | 80 (17.1) | 0.68 | 0.033 |
Beta-adrenergic blockers | 65 (27.7) | 129 (27.5) | > 0.99 | 0.003 |
Oral antidiabetic drugs | 29 (12.3) | 65 (13.9) | 0.64 | 0.045 |
Insulin | 26 (11.1) | 52 (11.1) | > 0.99 | 0.001 |
Disease severity at ICU admission | ||||
APACHE IV score | 90.9 (28.5) | 85.0 (28.4) | 0.010 | 0.207 |
Acute physiology score | 78.2 (26.4) | 72.1 (26.4) | 0.004 | 0.231 |
mSOFA score | 8 [6, 11] | 7 [5, 9] | < 0.001 | 0.455 |
Shock | 176 (75.5) | 242 (51.6) | < 0.001 | 0.514 |
ARDS | 78 (33.2) | 132 (28.1) | 0.16 | 0.111 |
Mechanical ventilation | 225 (96.6) | 419 (89.3) | 0.001 | 0.285 |
PaO2/FiO2 ratio‡ | 148 [99, 230] | 156 [108, 217] | 0.49 | 0.052 |
AKI | 117 (49.8) | 187 (39.8) | 0.012 | 0.202 |
Gastrointestinal failure score | < 0.001 | 0.456 | ||
0—Normal gastrointestinal function | 86 (36.6) | 269 (57.2) | ||
1—Reduced/delayed enteral feeding§ | 112 (47.7) | 133 (28.3) | ||
2—Food intolerance or IAH | 35 (14.9) | 65 (13.8) | ||
3—Food intolerance and IAH | 2 (0.9) | 2 (0.4) | ||
4—Abdominal compartment syndrome | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | ||
Gastrointestinal failure score > = 1 | 149 (63.4) | 200 (42.6) | < 0.001 | 0.425 |
Gastrointestinal bleeding | 7 (3.0) | 8 (1.7) | 0.28 | 0.085 |
Source of infection | ||||
Pulmonary tract | 119 (50.6) | 252 (53.6) | 0.47 | 0.060 |
Abdominal tract | 48 (20.4) | 83 (17.7) | 0.41 | 0.070 |
Urinary tract | 20 (8.5) | 26 (5.5) | 0.15 | 0.117 |
Cardiovascular | 15 (6.4) | 16 (3.4) | 0.08 | 0.138 |
Skin | 17 (7.2) | 16 (3.4) | 0.036 | 0.171 |
Central nervous system | 6 (2.6) | 29 (6.2) | 0.042 | 0.178 |
Other or unknown | 30 (12.8) | 75 (16.0) | 0.31 | 0.091 |
Erythromycin use | ||||
First administration from admission, hours | 38 [25, 52] | |||
Duration of the first course, hours | 42 [24, 69] | |||
No. of administrations (first course) | 5 [3, 8] | |||
Median dose per administration (first course), mg | 200 [125, 200] | |||
Cumulative dose (first course), mg | 800 [600, 1400] | |||
No. of courses during ICU stay | ||||
1 | 182 (77.4) | |||
2 | 46 (19.6) | |||
3+ | 7 (3.0) | |||
Other macrolides | ||||
High-dose erythromycin > 72 h after admission | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.2) | ||
Azithromycin or clarithromycin > 72 h after admission | 1 (0.4) | 2 (0.4) | ||