Table 2.
Participant baseline characteristics.
| Variable | Overall (n = 2,416) | Lower LAR (n = 1,313) | Higher LAR (n = 1,103) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAR | 0.59 (0.40–0.95) | 0.41 (0.32–0.51) | 1.00 (0.77–1.44) | <0.001 |
| Demographics | ||||
| Age, years | 73 (63–81) | 73 (63–81) | 74 (64–81) | 0.03 |
| Men, n (%) | 1,414 (58.53) | 764 (58.19) | 650 (58.93) | 0.71 |
| Ethnicity, n (%) | ||||
| Asian populations | 64 (2.65) | 26 (1.98) | 38 (3.44) | 0.002 |
| White populations | 1,539 (63.70) | 877 (66.79) | 662 (60.02) | |
| Black populations | 237 (9.81) | 114 (8.68) | 123 (11.15) | |
| Others | 576 (23.84) | 296 (22.54) | 280 (25.39) | |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Hypertension, n (%) | 835 (34.56) | 475 (36.18) | 360 (32.64) | 0.07 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 1,159 (47.97) | 616 (46.92) | 543 (49.23) | 0.26 |
| Renal disease, n (%) | 2,276 (94.21) | 1,223 (93.15) | 1,053 (95.47) | 0.02 |
| Liver disease, n (%) | 491 (20.32) | 218 (16.60) | 273 (24.75) | <0.001 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, n (%) | 394 (16.31) | 237 (18.05) | 157 (14.23) | 0.01 |
| Pneumonia, n (%) | 1,027 (42.51) | 593 (45.16) | 434 (39.35) | 0.004 |
| Asthma, n (%) | 188 (7.78) | 111 (8.45) | 77 (6.98) | 0.18 |
| Unstable angina pectoris, n (%) | 16 (0.66) | 10 (0.76) | 6 (0.544) | 0.51 |
| Myocardial infarction, n (%) | 42 (1.74) | 21 (1.60) | 21 (1.90) | 0.57 |
| Acute respiratory distress syndrome, n (%) | 38 (1.57) | 22 (1.68) | 16 (1.45) | 0.66 |
| Cerebral infarction, n (%) | 378 (15.65) | 205 (15.61) | 173 (15.68) | 0.96 |
| Malignancy, n (%) | 504 (20.86) | 285 (21.71) | 219 (19.85) | 0.26 |
| Septic shock, n (%) | 707 (29.26) | 285 (21.71) | 422 (38.26) | <0.001 |
| Respiratory failure, n (%) | 1,453 (60.14) | 789 (60.09) | 664 (60.20) | 0.96 |
| Vital signs | ||||
| Heart rate, beats/min | 88 (76–104) | 87 (74–100) | 91 (77–109) | <0.001 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mmHg | 115 (101–134) | 119 (103–136.5) | 113 (98–130) | <0.001 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg | 64 (53–76) | 65 (55–77) | 62 (51–75) | <0.001 |
| Mean arterial pressure, mmHg | 82 (70.67–94.33) | 83.67 (72.33–95.67) | 79 (68.33–92) | <0.001 |
| Respiratory rate, times/min | 20 (16–24) | 20 (16–24) | 20 (16–25) | 0.10 |
| SPO2, % | 97 (94–100) | 97 (94–100) | 98 (94–100) | 0.02 |
| Body temperature, °C | 36.72 (36.39–37.11) | 36.72 (36.39–37.11) | 36.67 (36.39–37.06) | <0.001 |
| Laboratory parameters | ||||
| Neutrophil cells, 109/L | 7.59 (4.98–12.15) | 7.3 (4.9–11.02) | 8.08 (5.04–13.62) | 0.001 |
| Lymphocyte cells, 109/L | 1.11 (0.69–1.69) | 1.06 (0.68–1.65) | 1.16 (0.72–1.75) | 0.05 |
| Red blood cells, 109/L | 12 (8.5–16.9) | 11 (7.9–15) | 13.6 (9.3–19.1) | <0.001 |
| White blood cells, 109/L | 3.41 (2.89–4) | 3.39 (2.91–3.99) | 3.43 (2.85–4.01) | 0.72 |
| Erythrocyte distribution width, % | 15.5 (14.3–17.2) | 15.4 (14.2–17.1) | 15.7 (14.4–17.5) | <0.001 |
| Platelets, 109/L | 185 (131–256) | 192 (137–262) | 177 (125–248) | <0.001 |
| Hemoglobin, g/L | 10.1 (8.5–11.7) | 10 (8.5–11.7) | 10.1 (8.4–11.8) | 0.88 |
| Lymphocyte percentage, % | 8.3 (4.6–13.9) | 8.7 (5.2–14.1) | 7.6 (4–13) | <0.001 |
| Hematocrit, % | 31.4 (26.65–36.4) | 31.4 (26.8–36.2) | 31.5 (26.4–36.6) | 0.83 |
| Creatinine, mg/dL | 1.5 (1–2.4) | 1.4 (1–2.4) | 1.6 (1.1–2.5) | <0.001 |
| Blood urea nitrogen, mg/dL | 33 (21–53) | 32 (21–53) | 35 (22–54) | 0.08 |
| Albumin, g/dL | 3 (2.6–3.4) | 3.2 (2.8–3.5) | 2.8 (2.4–3.2) | <0.001 |
| Total bilirubin, mg/dL | 0.7 (0.4–1.3) | 0.6 (0.4–1) | 0.9 (0.5–1.7) | <0.001 |
| Direct bilirubin, mg/dL | 0.8 (0.3–1.9) | 0.6 (0.2–1.5) | 1.1 (0.4–2.4) | <0.001 |
| Aspartate aminotransferase, U/L | 41 (24–94) | 35 (22–67) | 51 (28–155) | <0.001 |
| Alanine aminotransferase, U/L | 26 (15–61) | 23 (14–44) | 32 (16–102) | <0.001 |
| Glucose, mg/dL | 137 (109–182) | 133 (107–171) | 145 (112–196) | <0.001 |
| Triglyceride, mg/dL | 126 (89–195.5) | 122 (91–197) | 129 (88–195) | 0.84 |
| Total cholesterol, mg/dL | 147 (116–183) | 148 (118.5–183) | 146 (110–181) | 0.25 |
| High density lipoprotein cholesterol, mg/dL | 43 (33–56) | 45 (34–56) | 42 (32–55) | 0.04 |
| Low density lipoprotein cholesterol, mg/dL | 77 (53–102) | 77 (55–102) | 76 (50–102) | 0.49 |
| Prothrombin time, s | 15.5 (13.4–20) | 14.8 (13–18.3) | 16.6 (14.1–21.65) | <0.001 |
| International normalized ratio | 1.4 (1.2–1.8) | 1.3 (1.2–1.7) | 1.5 (1.3–2) | <0.001 |
| Potassium, mmol/L | 4.3 (3.8–4.8) | 4.2 (3.8–4.7) | 4.4 (3.9–5) | <0.001 |
| Sodium, mmol/L | 138 (135–141) | 138 (135–141) | 138 (134–141) | 0.02 |
| Calcium, mg/dL | 8.4 (7.9–8.8) | 8.4 (7.9–8.9) | 8.3 (7.7–8.8) | <0.001 |
| Anion gap, mmol/L | 15 (12–18) | 14 (12–17) | 16 (13–20) | <0.001 |
| Lactate, mmol/L | 1.7 (1.2–2.7) | 1.3 (1–1.6) | 2.9 (2.2–4) | <0.001 |
| PH | 7.36 (7.29–7.42) | 7.37 (7.31–7.42) | 7.35 (7.28–7.41) | <0.001 |
| PCO2 | 42 (36–50) | 43 (37–52) | 41 (34–48) | <0.001 |
| PaO2 | 81 (47–160.5) | 83 (50–150) | 79 (43–175) | 0.12 |
| Treatments | ||||
| Urinary catheter, n (%) | 712 (29.47) | 355 (27.04) | 357 (32.37) | 0.004 |
| Vasopressin, n (%) | 424 (17.55) | 158 (12.03) | 266 (24.12) | <0.001 |
| Ventilation, n (%) | 2,323 (96.15) | 1,263 (96.19) | 1,060 (96.10) | 0.91 |
| Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy, n (%) | 364 (15.07) | 169 (12.87) | 195 (17.68) | 0.001 |
| Norepinephrine, n (%) | 1,079 (44.66) | 492 (37.47) | 587 (53.22) | <0.001 |
| Drugs | ||||
| Antiplatelet drugs | ||||
| Clopidogrel, n (%) | 417 (17.26) | 224 (17.06) | 193 (17.50) | 0.78 |
| Aspirin n (%) | 1,612 (66.72) | 881 (67.10) | 731 (66.27) | 0.67 |
| Lipid regulating drugs | ||||
| Atorvastatin, n (%) | 1,063 (44.00) | 597 (45.47) | 466 (42.25) | 0.11 |
| Simvastatin, n (%) | 326 (13.49) | 204 (15.54) | 122 (11.06) | 0.001 |
| Diuretics | ||||
| Spironolactone, n (%) | 241 (9.98) | 128 (9.75) | 113 (10.24) | 0.68 |
| Furosemide, n (%) | 2,085 (86.30) | 1,147 (87.36) | 938 (85.04) | 0.10 |
| Antibacterial drugs | ||||
| Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, n (%) | 67 (2.77) | 40 (3.05) | 27 (2.45) | 0.37 |
| Ampicillin sodium, n (%) | 82 (3.39) | 49 (3.73) | 33 (2.99) | 0.32 |
| Piperacillin tazobactam, n (%) | 735 (30.42) | 364 (27.72) | 371 (33.64) | 0.002 |
| Cefazolin, n (%) | 243 (10.06) | 127 (9.67) | 116 (10.52) | 0.49 |
| Ceftazidime, n (%) | 249 (10.31) | 135 (10.28) | 114 (10.34) | 0.96 |
| Ceftriaxone, n (%) | 277 (11.47) | 167 (12.72) | 110 (9.97) | 0.03 |
| Meropenem, n (%) | 407 (16.85) | 186 (14.17) | 221 (20.04) | <0.001 |
| Imipenem, n (%) | 10 (0.41) | 5 (0.38) | 5 (0.45) | 0.78 |
| Azithromycin, n (%) | 441 (18.25) | 269 (20.49) | 172 (15.59) | 0.002 |
| Erythromycin, n (%) | 80 (3.31) | 41 (3.12) | 39 (3.54) | 0.57 |
| Ciprofloxacin, n (%) | 479 (19.83) | 246 (18.74) | 233 (21.12) | 0.14 |
| Levofloxacin, n (%) | 311 (12.87) | 183 (13.94) | 128 (11.60) | 0.09 |
| Metronidazole, n (%) | 456 (18.87) | 188 (14.32) | 268 (24.30) | <0.001 |
| Vancomycin, n (%) | 2,026 (83.86) | 1,056 (80.43) | 970 (87.94) | <0.001 |
| Vasodilator drug | ||||
| Nitroglycerin, n (%) | 636 (26.32) | 337 (25.67) | 299 (27.11) | 0.42 |
| Anti-arrhythmic drug | ||||
| Amiodarone, n (%) | 676 (27.98) | 310 (23.61) | 366 (33.18) | <0.001 |
| Clinical outcomes | ||||
| ICU mortality, n (%) | 406 (16.80) | 159 (12.11) | 247 (22.39) | <0.001 |
| In-hospital mortality, n (%) | 605 (25.04) | 250 (19.04) | 355 (32.18) | <0.001 |
| 14-day mortality, n (%) | 427 (17.67) | 181 (13.79) | 246 (22.30) | <0.001 |
| 28-day mortality, n (%) | 644 (26.66) | 281 (21.40) | 363 (32.91) | <0.001 |
| 90-day mortality, n (%) | 946 (39.16) | 435 (33.13) | 511 (46.33) | <0.001 |