Table 1.
Demographics of studied subjects
| Critically ill patients (n = 132) | |
| Age (years) | 54.4 ± 1.5 |
| Gender (male/female) | 95:37 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 27.4 ± 0.6 |
| Days in ICU prior to study | 8.0 ± 0.6 |
| APACHE II score | |
| Admission | 23.9 ± 0.5 |
| Study day | 17.6 ± 0.6 |
| Enteral feeding rate (ml/hour) | |
| Prior to breath testing | 51.1 ± 2.9 |
| After breath testing | 56.6 ± 2.8 |
| Diagnosis, % (n) | |
| Sepsis | 33% (44) |
| Head injurya | 23% (30) |
| Multi-traumaa | 22% (29) |
| Burns | 7% (9) |
| Non-GI post-operative respiratory compromise | 9% (12) |
| Cardiac injury (ischaemia and failure) | 11% (15) |
| Blood glucose level (mmol/l) | |
| Admission | 9.7 ± 0.9 |
| Study day | 8.0 ± 0.3 |
| Biochemistry | |
| Albumin (g/l) | 23.6 ± 0.5 |
| Bilirubin (μmol/l) | 19.5 ± 2.5 |
| White cell count (× 109/l) | 12.6 ± 0.5 |
| Serum creatinine (mmol/l) | 0.134 ± 0.01 |
| Medications, % (n) | |
| Opioid ± benzodiazepine | 83% (110) |
| Propofol | 60% (80) |
| Inotropes | 69% (91) |
| Mechanical ventilation | |
| SIMV/pressure support ventilationb (n) | 74:58 |
| Fraction of inspired oxygen | 0.5 ± 0.01 |
| Positive end-expiratory pressure (cm H2O) | 6.5 ± 0.3 |
| Peak inspiratory pressure (cm H2O) | 24.5 ± 0.8 |
aSeven patients had head injury due to multi-trauma. bPressure support ventilation self-triggered mode. APACHE II, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II; GI, gastrointestinal; ICU, intensive care unit; SIMV, synchronised intermittent mandatory ventilation.