Table 1.
Characteristics of the Patients at Baseline.*
| Characteristic | Video Laryngoscope (N = 705) | Direct Laryngoscope (N = 712) |
|---|---|---|
| Median age (IQR) — yr | 54 (36–66) | 55 (39–67) |
| Female sex — no. (%) | 240 (34.0) | 258 (36.2) |
| Race or ethnic group — no. (%)† | ||
| Non-Hispanic White | 360 (51.1) | 346 (48.6) |
| Non-Hispanic Black | 166 (23.5) | 167 (23.5) |
| Hispanic | 101 (14.3) | 94 (13.2) |
| Other | 61 (8.7) | 84 (11.8) |
| Not reported | 17 (2.4) | 21 (2.9) |
| Median body-mass index (IQR)‡ | 26.3 (22.7–31.4) | 26.5 (23.0–31.6) |
| Location of intubation — no. (%) | ||
| Emergency department | 495 (70.2) | 493 (69.2) |
| Intensive care unit | 210 (29.8) | 219 (30.8) |
| Active conditions — no. (%)§ | ||
| Sepsis or septic shock | 188 (26.7) | 216 (30.3) |
| Traumatic injury | 171 (24.3) | 167 (23.5) |
| Cardiac arrest before intubation | 48 (6.8) | 65 (9.1) |
| Median APACHE II score (IQR)¶ | 16 (11–22) | 16 (11–22) |
| Primary indication for intubation — no. (%)∥ | ||
| Altered mental status | 318 (45.1) | 324 (45.5) |
| Acute respiratory failure | 215 (30.5) | 216 (30.3) |
| Emergency procedure | 41 (5.8) | 51 (7.2) |
| Cardiac arrest | 38 (5.4) | 47 (6.6) |
| Other | 93 (13.2) | 74 (10.4) |
| Anticipated difficulty of intubation — no. (%)** | ||
| Easy | 232 (32.9) | 223 (31.3) |
| Moderate | 317 (45.0) | 331 (46.5) |
| Difficult | 67 (9.5) | 62 (8.7) |
| Not reported | 89 (12.6) | 96 (13.5) |
IQR denotes interquartile range.
Race and ethnic group were reported by the patients or their surrogates as part of clinical care and were obtained from the electronic health record by research personnel and grouped into fixed categories.
Data on body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) were missing for 33 patients (2.3%): 20 in the videolaryngoscope group and 13 in the direct-laryngoscope group.
Data were abstracted from the electronic health record and grouped into prespecified categories. Patients could have had more than one active condition.
Scores on the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II range from 0 to 71, with higher scores indicating a greater severity of illness.
Data were abstracted from the electronic health record.
The anticipated difficulty of intubation was a subjective, global clinical assessment made by the operator before randomization.