Table 1.
Baseline characteristics at admission
| Variable | Methylprednisolone alone (n=1,743) | Methylprednisolone plus cyclophosphamide (n=104) | P value |
| Sex, n (%) | |||
| male | 1,182 (67.8) | 72 (69.2) | 0.77 |
| Age, years, n (%) | |||
| 15-40 | 9 (0.5) | 0 0.0 | 0.30 |
| 41-60 | 112 (6.4) | 9 (8.7) | |
| 61-70 | 384 (22.0) | 29 (27.9) | |
| 71-80 | 751 (43.1) | 45 (43.3) | |
| ≥81 | 487 (27.9) | 21 (20.2) | |
| Smoking index (packs per year), n (%) | |||
| 0 | 779 (44.7) | 50 (48.1) | 0.72 |
| 1-20 | 143 (8.2) | 9 (8.7) | |
| 21-40 | 237 (13.6) | 12 (11.5) | |
| 41-60 | 179 (10.3) | 14 (13.5) | |
| ≥61 | 134 (7.7) | 5 (4.8) | |
| missing | 271 (15.5) | 14 (13.5) | |
| Hugh-Jones classification, n (%) | |||
| 1 | 54 (3.1) | 3 (2.9) | 0.04 |
| 2 | 82 (4.7) | 5 (4.8) | |
| 3 | 107 (6.1) | 2 (1.9) | |
| 4 | 198 (11.4) | 6 (5.8) | |
| 5 | 903 (51.8) | 52 (50.0) | |
| missing | 399 (22.9) | 36 (34.6) | |
| Charlson comorbidity index, n (%) | |||
| 0 | 316 (18.1) | 20 (19.2) | 0.38 |
| 1 | 321 (18.4) | 17 (16.3) | |
| 2 | 384 (22.0) | 17 (16.3) | |
| 3-5 | 119 (6.8) | 7 (6.7) | |
| ≥6 | 88 (5.0) | 3 (2.9) | |
| missing | 515 (29.5) | 40 (38.5) | |
| Japan coma scale, n (%) | |||
| 0 (alert) | 1,273 (73.0) | 85 (81.7) | 0.17 |
| 1-digit (dizziness) | 283 (16.2) | 14 (13.5) | |
| 2-digit (somnolence) | 87 (5.0) | 3 (2.9) | |
| 3-digit (coma) | 100 (5.7) | 2 (1.9) | |
| Lung cancer, n (%) | 72 (4.1) | 5 (4.8) | 0.73 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, n (%) | 140 (8.0) | 7 (6.7) | 0.63 |
| Congestive heart failure, n (%) | 142 (8.1) | 3 (2.9) | 0.06 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 425 (24.4) | 17 (16.3) | 0.06 |
| Chronic kidney disease, n (%) | 46 (2.6) | 3 (2.9) | 0.85 |
| Noradrenaline, n (%) | 162 (9.3) | 10 (9.6) | 0.92 |
| Azithromycin, n (%) | 272 (15.6) | 9 (8.7) | 0.06 |
| Cotrimoxazole, n (%) | 313 (18.0) | 33 (31.7) | 0.0005 |
| Continuous renal replacement therapy, n (%) | 24 (1.4) | 3 (2.9) | 0.22 |