Table 1 Baseline characteristics and clinical data of the study population

Age (years)

68 (49.0–78.0)

Gender, male

16 (45.7)

BMI (kg/m²)

24.6 ± 5.0

SOFA^a

9 (7.0–12.0)

SAPS 3 score

66.7 ± 12.1

Admission diagnosis

 Surgical

19 (54.3)

 Clinical

16 (45.7)

Charlson index

2.0 (1.0–6.0)

Comorbidities

 Hypertension

15 (42.9)

 Diabetes mellitus

10 (28.6)

 Liver failure

4 (11.4)

Source of infection

 Pulmonary

18 (51.4)

 Abdominal

8 (22.9)

 Blood flow

6 (17.1)

 Others

3 (8.6)

Sedative drugs

 Propofol (mg/kg/h) (n = 30)

1.84 ± 0.83

 Fentanyl (mcg/kg/h) (n = 28)

3.42 ± 1.41

 Midazolam (mcg/kg/h) (n = 5)

0.08 (0.06–0.17)

Vasoactive drugs

 Norepinephrine (mcg/kg/min) (n = 35)

0.39 ± 0.20

 Epinephrine (mcg/kg/min) (n = 2)

0.01 (0.01–0.01)

 Dobutamine (mcg/kg/min) (n = 1)

2.85

Time on vasopressors pre-protocol (h)

39 (24.0–72.0)

Mechanical ventilation

 PEEP (cmH₂O)

8.0 (6.0–10.0)

 FiO₂ (%)

40.0 (30.0–50.0)

 PaO₂/FiO₂

239.0 ± 83.0

 Cstat (mL/cmH₂O)

33.9 ± 13.7

 Tidal volume (mL/kg)^b

7.2 ± 1.4

 Driving pressure (cmH₂O)

12.0 (9.0–16.0)

ICU LOS (days)

17.0 (12.0–25.0)

ICU mortality

21 (60.0)