Table 1. Characteristics of the study participants on inclusion.

Variables	Overall population (n = 110)
Age (mean (SD), years)	69 (11)
Gender (F/M)	32 /78
Surgery, n (%)
Valvular	55 (50)
CABG	30 (27)
Combined surgery	15 (14)
Other	6 (9)
SAPS 2	40 (13)
Respiratory parameters
Tidal volume (ml kg-1 of predicted body weight, mean (SD),	7.8 (0.6)
Total PEEP (cmH2O, mean (SD))	6 (1)
Number of patients treated with norepinephrine (n, %)	25 (25)
Median dose (gamma Kg-1 min-1)	0.7 (0.5 to 1.4)
Number of patients treated with dobutamine (n, %)	4 (5)
Median dose (gamma Kg-1 min-1)	5 (5 to 7)
LVEF (%, mean (SD))	49 (11)

Values are expressed as the mean ± SD or the number (%). CABG: coronary artery bypass graft.