Table I.

Baseline characteristics of the study groups.

	Correction N=35	No correction N=37	P-value
Demographics
Male, N (%)	22 (63)	16 (43)	0.10
Age (years), median [IQR]	64 [56–72]	68 [60–76]	0.21
APACHE II score, mean±SD	22±8	21±7	0.49
Time from admission to tracheotomy (days), mean±SD	9±6	10±6	0.62
Reason for mechanical ventilation
Post-surgical, N (%)	5 (14)	9 (24)	0.28
Coma, N (%)	3 (9)	4 (11)	0.75
Cardiac arrest, N (%)	4 (11)	4 (11)	0.93
Acute respiratory failure, N (%)	19 (51)	18 (49)	0.63
Trauma, N (%)	2 (6)	1 (3)	0.48
Other, N (%)	2 (6)	1 (3)	0.48
Reason for tracheotomy
Complicated weaning, N (%)	10 (29)	17 (46)	0.13
Expected prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation, N (%)	12 (34)	4 (11)	0.02
Need for frequent airway suctioning, N (%)	3 (9)	2 (5)	0.47
Low GCS score, N (%)	5 (14)	6 (16)	0.37
CIPNM, N (%)	4 (11)	5 (14)	0.54
Other, N (%)	1 (3)	3 (8)	0.61
Possible reasons for coagulation disorders, N (%)
Acute renal failure	9 (26)	3 (8)	0.45
Chronic renal failure	2 (6)	2 (5)	0.95
Sepsis	7 (20)	9 (24)	0.66
Massive transfusion	5 (14)	5 (14)	0.93
Liver cirrhosis	0	0	-
Haematological malignancy	2 (6)	3 (8)	0.69
Duration of mechanical ventilation (days), median (IQR)	11 (7–24)	16 (10–21)	0.16
Length of stay ICU (days), median [IQR]	15 [8–29]	21 [14–26]	0.21
ICU mortality, N (%)	4 (11)	11 (31)	0.06
Hospital mortality, N (%)	11 (31)	15 (41)	0.42

Legend: GCS, Glasgow Coma Scale; CIPNM, critical illness polyneuromyopathy.