Table 1. Demographic characteristics, clinical severity and outcome of the study population (121 patients).

GCS: Glasgow Coma Scale; SAPS: Simplified Acute Physiology Score. NCS: nerve conduction study-electromyography.

Sex Number (percentage)	Male Female	71 (58.7) 50 (41.3)
Age (years) Mean (SD)		51.3 (13.1)
Surgical status Number (percentage)	Nonsurgical Emergency surgery Neurosurgery Elective surgery	59 (48.8) 54 (44.6) 38 (70.4) 8 (6.6)
Trauma Number (percentage)		37 (30.6)
Reason for admission Number (percentage)	Monitoring Intensive treatment	14 (11.6) 107 (88.4)
Organ failures at ICU admission* Number (percentage)	Respiratory failure Neurological failure Cardiovascular failure Renal failure Hepatic failure	106 (87.6) 62 (51.2) 23 (19.0) 11 (9.1) 2 (1.7)
Cause of ICU admission Number (percentage)	Neurological Non neurological	106 (87.6) 15 (12.4)
GCS (first 24 hours)		7 (5–10)
Median (IQR)
SAPS II Mean (SD)		40.0 (14.0)
Infections at ICU admission Number (percentage)	None Present	94 (77.7) 27 (22.3)
Maximum severity of infection at ICU admission Number (percentage)	Sepsis Severe sepsis Septic shock	14 (11.6) 6 (5.0) 7 (5.8)
Infections during the ICU stay Number (percentage)	None Present	50 (41.3) 71 (58.7)
Maximum severity of infection during ICU stay Number (percentage)	Sepsis Severe sepsis Septic shock	30 (24.8) 37 (30.6) 18 (14.9)
ICU procedures*	Mechanical ventilation Vasoactive drugs Tracheostomy Enteral nutrition Parenteral nutrition	115 (95.0) 78 (64.5) 72 (59.5) 106 (87.6) 47 (38.8)
ICU stay (days) Median (IQR)	All patients Patients with abnormal NCS Patients with normal NCS	19 (13–33) 23 (16–39) 13 (10–19)
Hospital stay (days) Median (IQR)	All patients Patients with abnormal NCS Patients with normal NCS	32 (21–43) 33 (24–46) 22 (15–30)
Hospital mortality Number (percentage)	All patients Patients with abnormal NCS Patients with normal NCS	22 (18.2) 20 (21.3) 2 (7.4)

* Percentages may sum to more than 100% because patients may be classified in more than one category.