Table 1.
Participant characteristics at baseline
| Characteristic | Pediatric tubes (n = 100) | Adult tubes (n = 100) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, year, mean (SD) | 55 (16.7) | 57 (18.5) |
| Women, n (%) | 45 (45) | 51 (51) |
| Race, n (%) | ||
| White | 38 (38) | 39 (39) |
| Black | 36 (36) | 46 (46) |
| Other | 26 (26) | 15 (15) |
| ICU admission hemoglobin, g/dL | ||
| Median (IQR) | 11.4 (9.3–12.7) | 11.3 (9.2–12.7) |
| Mean (SD) | 11.4 (2.4) | 11.1 (2.3) |
| ICU admission hemoglobin category, n (%) | ||
| 7–9.49 g/dL | 27 (27) | 29 (29) |
| 9.5–11.99 g/dL | 32 (32) | 32 (32) |
| ≥ 12 g/dL | 41 (41) | 39 (39) |
| Time from ICU admission to randomization, h, median (IQR) | 5.3 (1.5–8) | 5.7 (2.6–8.6) |
| Estimated blood volume per participant, L, median (IQR)a | 4.9 (4.2–5.6) | 4.6 (3.9–5.4) |
| Chronic hemodialysis, n (%) | 12 (12) | 12 (12) |
| Chronic kidney disease but no dialysis, n (%) | 13 (13) | 11 (11) |
| Active malignancy, n (%) | 5 (5) | 5 (5) |
| Recent history of anemia, n (%)b | 45 (45) | 47 (47) |
| Charlson comorbidity index, median (IQR)c | 3.0 (2–6) | 4.0 (2–5) |
| ICU admission diagnosis, n (%)d | ||
| Infection | 55 (55) | 46 (46) |
| Acute cardiovascular disorder | 21 (21) | 24 (24) |
| Acute renal failure | 40 (40) | 31 (31) |
| Metabolic disorder | 32 (32) | 36 (36) |
| Non-infectious inflammatory disordere | 19 (19) | 11 (11) |
| Other | 22 (22) | 31 (31) |
| Invasive mechanical ventilation, n (%) | 50 (50) | 51 (51) |
| APACHE II score, median (IQR)f | 22.0 (14-29) | 23.0 (16-28) |
SD standard deviation, ICU intensive care unit, IQR interquartile range, APACHE Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation
aThe blood volumes were estimated according to Nadler method, which is based on the participant’s gender, height, and weight
bA recent history of anemia was defined as hemoglobin below 13 g/dL in men or 11.6 g/dL in women in the preceding 6 months
cThe Charlson comorbidity index measures the effect of coexisting conditions on mortality, with scores ranging from 0 to 33. Higher scores indicate greater burden of illness
dThe diagnosis are not mutually exclusive
eNon-infectious inflammatory disorders included conditions such as acute pancreatitis, asthma exacerbation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation
fAPACHE II scores are assessed on a scale from 0 to 71. Higher scores indicate higher risk of death