Table 1. Baseline characteristics.

	Crystalloid	HES	p value
Age [years]	55 (47;71)	53 (45;66)	0.237
Weight [kg]	75 (65;82.5)	70 (62;80)	0.862
Height [cm]	169 (165;178)	168 (165;175)	0.691
APACHE II [points]	14 (10;21)	15 (10;23)	0.342
SAPS day 0 [points]	42 (25.5;57)	49 (31;63)	0.009*
SAPS average [points]	30.4 (20.8;41.2)	32.9 (22.2;43.2)	0.026*
SAPS max [points]	47 (33;63)	53 (35.7;63)	0.063

Data are given as median and interquartile range (p25; p75).

*significant difference between crystalloid group and HES group.

APACHE II: acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score II; SAPS: simplified acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score.