Table 1. Characteristics and Outcome of Patients with Baseline Chloride Disturbance*.
| Variable | Baseline Serum Chloride | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyperchloremia (A) ≥108mmol/L (N = 257) | Euchloremia (B) 100-108mmol/L (N = 2,387) | Hypochloremia (C) <100mmol/L(N = 1,530) | P value (A vs. B) | P value (B vs. C) | P value (A vs. C) | |
| ICU type, n (%) | 0.0004 | < .0001 | 0.15 | |||
| Medical | 193(75.1) | 1526(63.9) | 1082(70.7) | |||
| Surgical | 64(24.9) | 861(36.1) | 448(29.3) | |||
| Demographic characteristics | ||||||
| Age, years | 59±22 | 63±20 | 67±18 | 0.005 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| Male | 134 (52.1) | 1,296 (54.3) | 750 (49.0) | 0.51 | 0.0013 | 0.35 |
| Comorbidities and severity of illnesses, n (%) | ||||||
| ACS | 30 (11.7) | 368 (15.4) | 288 (18.8) | 0.1 | 0.005 | 0.006 |
| CHF | 20 (7.8) | 283 (11.9) | 322 (21.1) | 0.05 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| PVD | 12 (4.7) | 160 (6.7) | 154 (10.1) | 0.2 | 0.0002 | 0.006 |
| CVA | 35 (13.6) | 315 (13.2) | 248 (16.2) | 0.9 | 0.009 | 0.3 |
| COPD | 15 (5.8) c | 342 (14.3) | 367 (24.0) | 0.0002 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| Diabetes | 48 (18.7) | 574 (24.1) | 522 (34.1) | 0.05 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| DM with complication | 12(4.7) | 165(6.9) | 209(13.7) | 0.2 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| Cirrhosis | 4 (1.6) | 75 (3.1) | 73(4.8) | 0.2 | 0.009 | 0.02 |
| CKD | 54 (21.0) | 404 (16.9) | 82 (25.0) | 0.1 | < .0001 | 0.2 |
| Peptic ulcer disease | 22 (8.6) | 187 (7.8) | 186 (12.2) | 0.7 | < .0001 | 0.09 |
| Severe liver disease | 1 (0.4) | 28 (1.20) | 27 (1.8) | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Tumor | 45 (17.5) | 509 (21.3) | 423 (27.8) | 0.2 | < .0001 | 0.0006 |
| Charlson score | 1 (0–4) | 1 (0–4) | 3 (1–5) | 0.08 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| APACHEIII | 49 (29–65) | 47 (31–64) | 55 (41–72) | 0.03 | < .0001 | 0.007 |
| SOFA | 4 (2–6) | 3 (1–6) | 4 (2–6) | 0.0001 | < .0001 | 0.46 |
| Outcomes | ||||||
| AKI | 88 (34.2) | 726 (30.4) | 664 (43.3) | 0.2 | < .001 | 0.006 |
| AKI stage I | 50 (19.5) | 423 (17.7) | 338 (22.1) | 0.5 | 0.0007 | 0.3 |
| AKI stage II | 14 (5.5) | 198 (8.3) | 146 (9.5) | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.03 |
| AKI stage III | 24 (9.3)c | 105 (4.4) | 180 (11.8) | 0.0005 | < .001 | 0.3 |
| Use of MV | 87 (33.9) | 817 (34.2) | 553 (36.1) | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| ICU length of stay, days | 1.1 (0.9–2.1) | 1.2 (0.9–2.2) | 1.5 (0.9–2.8) | 0.9 | 0.0008 | 0.03 |
| ICU mortality, n (%) | 11 (4.3) | 70 (2.9) | 73 (4.8) | 0.2 | 0.003 | 0.7 |
| Hospital length of stay, days | 3.9 (1.9–7.7) | 4.9 (2.7–8.3) | 6.5 (3.7–11.6) | 0.002 | < .001 | < .0001 |
| Hospital mortality, n (%) | 18 (7) | 146 (6.1) | 161 (10.5) | 0.6 | < .0001 | 0.08 |
| Lab test | ||||||
| Baseline Scr available | n = 254 | n = 2,368 | n = 1,441 | |||
| Baseline Scr, mg/dL | 1.1 (0.8–1.4) | 0.9 (0.8–1.2) | 0.9 (0.7–1.3) | 0.0003 | < .0001 | 0.55 |
| Serum albumin available | n = 46 | n = 432 | n = 505 | |||
| Serum albumin, g/dL | 3.3 (2.7–3.7) | 3.4 (2.9–3.8) | 3.2 (2.7–3.7) | 0.6 | 0.01 | 0.6 |
| Baseline Cl min (mmol/L) | 111 (109–113) | 103 (101–105) | 95 (91–98) | < .0001 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| Baseline Na (mmol/L) | 141(139–143) | 138(136–140) | 135(131–138) | < .0001 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
| Baseline Bicarbonate(mmol/L) | 22(19–24) | 25(22–27) | 25(22–28) | < .0001 | 0.2 | < .0001 |
| Fluid administration | ||||||
| Data available | n = 236 | n = 2,144 | n = 1,420 | |||
| 0.9% Saline (mL) | 1375 (812–3100) | 1250 (600–2550) | 2000 (1000–3819) | 0.08 | < .0001 | 0.009 |
| Diuretic use, (%) | 56 (22) | 812 (34) | 720 (46) | < .0001 | < .0001 | < .0001 |
Abbreviations: ACS; acute coronary syndrome, AKI; acute kidney injury, APACHE III; Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation score, CHF; chronic heart failure, CKD; chronic kidney disease, COPD; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CVA; cerebrovascular accident, MV; mechanical ventilation, ICU; intensive care unit, PVD; peripheral vascular disease, Scr; serum creatinine, SOFA; Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score
*Continuous variables are expressed as mean (±SD) or median and interquartile range (IQR); categorical variables are expressed as frequency (n) and percentage (%).