Table 2.
ICU-specific therapy
| Variable | All admissions (n=192) | SRD related (n=56) | Co-existent SRD (n=136) | P value |
| MIV, No. (%) | 116 (60.4) | 42 (75.0) | 74 (54.4) | 0.008 |
| Length of MIV (days), median (IQR) | 10 (4–22) | 11.5 (4.8–21.3) | 10 (4–24.5) | 0.906 |
| First-line MIV, No. (%) | 68 (35.4) | 24 (42.9) | 44 (32.4) | 0.167 |
| NIV followed by MIV, No. (%) | 48 (25.0) | 18 (32.1) | 30 (22.0) | 0.142 |
| NIV only, No. (%) | 46 (24.0) | 7 (12.5) | 39 (28.7) | 0.017 |
| Vasopressive drugs, No. (%) | 140 (72.9) | 42 (75.0) | 98 (72.1) | 0.677 |
| Length of vasopressor therapy (days), median (IQR) | 4 (2–10) | 3.5 (1–11) | 4 (2–9.3) | 0.686 |
| Inotropic drugs, No. (%) | 44 (22.9) | 12 (21.4) | 32 (23.5) | 0.753 |
| RRT, No. (%) | 81 (42.2) | 26 (46.4) | 55 (40.4) | 0.445 |
| ECMO, No. (%) | 16 (8.4) | 9 (16.1) | 7 (5.2) | 0.019 |
| VA-ECMO, No. (%) | 8 (4.2)* | 3 (5.4)† | 5 (3.7)‡ | |
| VV-ECMO, No. (%) | 11 (5.8)* | 7 (12.5)† | 4 (2.9)‡ | |
| Cumulative GC dose (mg) days 1–3, mean (SD) | 389.1 (771.2) | 988.2 (1191.2) | 142.5 (230.5) | <0.001 |
| Cumulative GC dose (mg) days 1–7, mean (SD) | 598.0 (1035.4) | 1460.0 (1537.7) | 242.9 (343.5) | <0.001 |
| Cumulative GC dose (mg) days 1–28, mean (SD) | 1047.9 (1480.5) | 2267.2 (1808.1) | 545.9 (948.0) | <0.001 |
| Immune therapy during ICU, No. (%) | 68 (35.4) | 32 (57.1) | 36 (26.5) | <0.001 |
| Biological, No. (%) | 17 (8.9) | 13 (23.2) | 4 (2.9) | <0.001 |
| Immunosuppression, No. (%) | 31 (16.1) | 7 (12.5) | 24 (17.6) | 0.518 |
| Cytotoxic agents, No. (%) | 23 (12.0) | 19 (33.9) | 4 (2.9) | <0.001 |
| Immunoglobulins, No. (%) | 23 (12.0) | 12 (21.4) | 11 (8.1) | 0.014 |
| >1 therapy, No. (%) | 33 (17.2) | 15 (26.8) | 18 (13.2) | 0.034 |
*Three patients had both VA-ECMO and VV-ECMO during their ICU stay.
†One patient had both VA-ECMO and VV-ECMO during his ICU stay.
‡Two patients had both VA-ECMO and VV-ECMO during their ICU stay.
ECMO, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; GC, glucocorticoid; ICU, intensive care unit; IQR, interquartile range; MIV, mechanical invasive ventilation; NIV, non-invasive ventilation; No., number of patients; No., number of patients; RRT, renal replacement therapy; SD, standard deviation; SRD, systemic rheumatic disease; VA, venoarterial; VV, venovenous.