Table 4.
Pruritus in patients with severe sepsis allocated to HES 130/0
| HES 130/0.42 |
Ringer's acetate | Relative risk (95%CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary outcome | ||||
| Pruritus at any time after discharge, n/N (%) | 47/96 (49) | 38/88 (43) | 1.13 (0.83-1.55) | 0.43 |
| Secondary outcomes | ||||
| Pruritus in the last 48 hours, n/N (%) | 31/95 (33) | 24/89 (27) | 1.21 (0.77-1.89) | 0.40 |
| VAS score, median (IQR)* | 4.5 (3.5-5.5) | 3.5 (2.0-6.5) | - | 0.28 |
| Action taken against pruritus n/N (%) | 36/96 (37) | 20/88 (23) | 1.65 (1.04-2.62) | 0.03 |
| Use of ointment/tablets n/N (%) | 36/96 (37) | 19/88 (21) | 1.74 (1.08-2.79) | 0.02 |
| Consulted GP n/N (%) | 11/96 (11) | 7/88 (8) | 1.26 (0.53-2.99) | 0.60 |
| Consulted dermatologist n/N (%) | 2/96 (2) | 5/88 (6) | 0.37 (0.07-1.84) | 0.20 |
N = number of patients in the treatment group. n = number of cases. *Medians are for those who had pruritus within the last 48 hours. HES, hydroxyethyl starch; VAS, visual analogue scale; IQR, interquartile range, GP, general practitioner.