Table 1.

Baseline characteristics and outcomes of de-escalation and non de-escalation groups

Variable	De-escalation (N = 61)	Non de-escalation (N = 44)	P value
Age (years)	62.5 (±13.2)	61.7 (±12.8)	0.7
Gender (male)	39 (64 %)	28 (64 %)	1
Cancer type
Hematologic	24 (39 %)	17 (39 %)	1
Solid	37 (61 %)	27 (61 %)
Neutropenia on ICU admission	13 (21 %)	11 (26 %)	0.64
History of antibiotic allergy	15 (25 %)	8 (18 %)	0.48
Prior history of resistant organism	2 (3 %)	7 (16 %)	0.03
Lactate level (mmol/L) on ICU admission	2.4 (±2.1)	3.2 (±2.3)	0.03
Blood culture on ICU admission that turned positive	15 (25 %)	7 (16 %)	0.34
Time to first antibiotic administration from initial blood culture collection (hours)	1.1 (±3)	1 (±3)	0.86
Concomitant multiple infections	10 (16 %)	16 (36 %)	0.02
Use of MV during ICU stay	29 (48 %)	22 (50 %)	0.84
Use of MV on day 5	20 (33 %)	18 (41 %)	0.42
Total MV duration (days) (for those on MV)	7.1 (±3.4)	10.1 (±6.6)	0.18
Use of VP during ICU stay	42 (69 %)	35 (80 %)	0.27
MPM II score on ICU admission	0.5 (±0.2)	0.5 (±0.3)	0.96
SOFA score on ICU admission	7.2 (±3.3)	8 (±3.4)	0.18
SOFA score on ICU day 5	5.1 (±3.9)	7 (±3.5)	0.002
Difference between SOFA on day 5 and SOFA on ICU admission	−2.1 (±3.5)	−1 (±3.5)	0.05
Duration of therapy	13.3 (±7.2)	15.5 (±11.1)	0.6
ICU mortality	11 (18 %)	10 (23 %)	0.62
Hospital mortality	21 (34 %)	15 (34 %)	1
28-day mortality	24 (39 %)	15 (34 %)	0.68
ICU LOS	8.1 (±4.6)	11.2 (±7.4)	0.001
Hospital LOS	17.1 (±22.9)	23.4 (±17.6)	0.005

Data are expressed as number (percentage) or mean (±standard deviation). P < 0.05 was considered significant

ICU intensive care unit, LOS length of stay, MV mechanical ventilation, MPM mortality probability model, SOFA sequential organ failure assessment, VP vasopressors