Table 1.
Characteristics of ICU patients, Aarhus University Hospital, 1999 to 2005
| Overall | Propensity-score-matched cohorts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No current use of beta-blockers | Current use of beta-blockers | No current use of beta-blockers | Current use of beta-blockers | |
| N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | N (%) | |
| Overall | 6,531 (80.8%) | 1,556 (19.2%) | 1,556 (0%) | 1,556 (100%) |
| Age group | ||||
| 46 to 59 | 2,100 (32.2%) | 344 (22.1%) | 307 (19.7%) | 344 (22.1%) |
| 60 to 75 | 2,880 (44.1%) | 740 (47.6%) | 790 (50.7%) | 740 (47.6%) |
| 75+ | 1,551 (23.7%) | 472 (30.3%) | 459 (29.5%) | 472 (30.3%) |
| Gender | ||||
| Female | 2,796 (42.8%) | 598 (38.4%) | 623 (40.0%) | 598 (38.4%) |
| Male | 3,735 (57.1%) | 958 (61.6%) | 933 (60.0%) | 958 (61.6%) |
| Diagnostic category | ||||
| Infectious disease | 152 (2.3%) | 37 (2.4%) | 22 (1.4%) | 37 (2.4%) |
| Cancer | 1,200 (18.4%) | 143 (9.2%) | 114 (7.3%) | 143 (9.2%) |
| Diabetes | 88 (1.4%) | 18 (1.2%) | 14 (0.8%) | 18 (1.2%) |
| Cardiovascular | 1,812 (27.7%) | 722 (46.4%) | 756 (48.6%) | 722 (46.4%) |
| Respiratory | 753 (11.5%) | 117 (7.5%) | 103 (6.6%) | 117 (7.5%) |
| Gastrointestinal | 797 (12.2%) | 176 (11.3%) | 196 (12.6%) | 176 (11.3%) |
| Trauma/poisoning | 834 (12.8%) | 137 (8.8%) | 160 (10.3%) | 137 (8.8%) |
| Other | 895 (13.7%) | 206 (13.2%) | 191 (12.3%) | 206 (13.2%) |
| Surgery within 7 days | ||||
| No surgery | 2,829 (43.3%) | 611 (39.3%) | 592 (38.1%) | 611 (39.7%) |
| Surgery | 3,702 (56.7%) | 945 (60.7%) | 964 (62.0%) | 945 (60.7%) |
| Comorbidity | ||||
| Charlson score | ||||
| 0 | 1,880 (28.8%) | 237 (15.2%) | 224 (14.4%) | 237 (15.2%) |
| 1 to 2 | 2,740 (42.0%) | 649 (41.7%) | 666 (42.8%) | 649 (41.7%) |
| 3 + | 1,911 (29.3%) | 670 (43.1%) | 666 (42.8%) | 670 (43.1%) |
| Alcoholism-related disorders | 696 (10.7%) | 160 (10.3%) | 150 (9.6%) | 160 (10.3%) |
| Preadmission drug use ACE-inhibitors | 954 (14.6%) | 633 (40.7%) | 644 (41.4%) | 633 (40.7%) |
| Statins | 415 (6.4%) | 469 (30.1%) | 436 (28.0%) | 469 (30.1%) |
| Low-dose aspirin | 477 (7.3%) | 336 (21.6%) | 311 (20.0%) | 366 (21.6%) |
| Marital status | ||||
| Married | 2,729 (41.8%) | 671 (43.1%) | 652 (41.9%) | 671 (43.1%) |
| Never married | 476 (7.3%) | 91 (5.7%) | 88 (5.7%) | 91 (5.9%) |
| Divorced | 665 (10.2%) | 128 (8.2%) | 129 (8.3%) | 128 (8.2%) |
| Widowed | 910 (13.4%) | 246 (15.8%) | 243 (15.6%) | 246 (15.8%) |
| Unknown | 1,751 (26.8%) | 420 (27.0%) | 444 (28.5%) | 420 (27.0%) |
| Laboratory data* | ||||
| Hemoglobin | ||||
| Low | 3,049 (47.7%) | 805 (51.8%) | 771 (49.6%) | 805 (51.7%) |
| High | 3482 (53.4%) | 751 (48.2%) | 785 (50.4%) | 751 (48.3%) |
| Leukocytes | ||||
| Low | 3,244 (49.7%) | 787 (50.6%) | 737 (47.4%) | 787 (50.6%) |
| High | 3,287 (50.3%) | 769 (49.4%) | 819 (52.6%) | 769 (49.4%) |
| C-reactive protein | ||||
| Low | 3,318 (50.8%) | 723 (46.8%) | 703 (45.2%) | 723 (46.8%) |
| High | 3,213 (49.2%) | 833 (53.2%) | 453 (54.8%) | 833 (53.2%) |
| Creatinine | ||||
| Low | 3,458 (53.0%) | 577 (37.1%) | 645 (41.5%) | 577 (37.1%) |
| High | 3,073 (47.1%) | 979 (62.9%) | 911 (58.6%) | 979 (62.9%) |
*Laboratory data were categorized into two groups based on median values.