Table 1 Patient characteristics

Males, n (%)

38 (75)

29 (81)

9 (60)

0.125

Age, years

72 (55–82)

72 (59–81)

77 (56–82)

0.612

Comorbidities, n (%)

 Hypertension

16 (31)

10 (28)

6 (40)

0.599

 Diabetes mellitus

13 (25)

8 (22)

5 (33)

0.633

 Ischemic cardiomyopathy

8 (16)

6 (17)

2 (13)

0.901

 COPD

4 (8)

2 (6)

2 (13)

0.712

 Chronic renal failure

5 (10)

5 (14)

0 (0)

0.316

 Dilated cardiomyopathy

2 (4)

2 (6)

0 (0)

0.999

Reason for ICU admission, n (%)

 Pneumonia

23 (45)

15 (42)

8 (53)

0.446

 Neurological

7 (14)

6 (17)

1 (7)

0.618

 Cardiac pulmonary oedema

4 (8)

4 (11)

0 (0)

0.439

 Cardiac arrest

4 (8)

1 (3)

3 (20)

0.13

 Septic shock

3 (6)

1 (3)

2 (13)

0.203

 Acute myocardial infarction

2 (4)

2 (6)

0 (0)

0.999

 Other

8 (16)

7 (19)

1 (7)

0.471

Clinical data

 APACHE II score

19 (16–22)

19 (16–22)

21 (19–21)

0.106

 SOFA score

6 (4–8)

6 (5–8)

6 (5–7)

0.616

 Albumin, g/L

32 (29–37)

33 (31–37)

31 (27–33)

0.119

 Cumulative fluid balance over last 3 days^*, mL

550 (-767-1503)

-41 (-847-949)

1300 (375–1746)

0.051

 Use of diuretics, n (%)

32 (63)

21 (58)

11 (73)

0.313

 Duration of mechanical ventilation, days

6 (3–8)

6 (3–7)

7 (4–9)

0.174

Mechanical ventilation parameters

 Pressure-support ventilation, n (%)

46 (90)

31 (86)

15 (100)

0.316

 Assist-control ventilation, n (%)

5 (10)

5 (14)

0 (0)

0.316

 Pressure-support level, cmH₂O

13 (11–14)

13 (10–13)

14 (11–15)

0.084

 PEEP, cmH₂O

3 (3–4)

3 (3–4)

4 (3–4)

0.761

 FiO₂, %

40 (35–40)

40 (35–40)

40 (35–40)

0.667

Clinical outcomes

 ICU mortality, n (%)

9 (18)

5 (14)

4 (27)

0.275

 ICU length of stay, days

12 (6–24)

10 (5–21)

15 (10–24)

0.06