Table 3.
Demographics of the ExPress trial cohort stratified by inclusion or exclusion in the present study
| Variables | Whole Cohort (N = 767) | Inclusion (n = 596) | Exclusion (n = 171) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | |||
| Age, yr | 60 ± 15 | 60 ± 16 | 60 ± 15 |
| Sex, F | 251 (33) | 195 (33) | 56 (32) |
| Severity of illness | |||
| SAPS II | 51 ± 18 | 51 ± 18 | 51 ± 17 |
| Sepsis | 663 (86) | 515 (86) | 148 (87) |
| Hospital days before randomization | 3 ± 4 | 3 ± 4 | 2 ± 3 |
| Trial arm | |||
| Low PEEP | 382 (50) | 293 (49) | 89 (52) |
| High PEEP | 385 (50) | 303 (51) | 82 (48) |
| Actual PEEP direction | |||
| ΔPEEP ≤0 | 269 (35) | 258 (43) | 11 (6) |
| ΔPEEP >0 | 498 (65) | 338 (57) | 160 (94) |
| Before randomization | |||
| PaO2/FiO2 | 143 ± 57 | 144 ± 58 | 143 ± 55 |
| Plateau pressure | 23 ± 5 | 23 ± 5 | 23 ± 5 |
| PEEP | 8 ± 4 | 8 ± 4 | 7 ± 3 |
| ΔP | 14 ± 5 | 14 ± 5 | 14 ± 5 |
| After randomization | |||
| PaO2/FiO2 | 170 ± 86 | 170 ± 86 | 167 ± 89 |
| Plateau pressure | 25 ± 5 | 25 ± 5 | 25 ± 5 |
| PEEP | 12 ± 4 | 12 ± 4 | 12 ± 4 |
| ΔP | 13 ± 4 | 13 ± 4 | 13 ± 4 |
| 60-d mortality | 289 (38) | 219 (37) | 70 (41) |
Definition of abbreviations: ΔP = driving pressure; ExPress = Expiratory Pressure; FiO2 = fraction of inspired oxygen; PaO2 = arterial oxygen tension/pressure; PEEP = positive end-expiratory pressure; SAPS = Simplified Acute Physiologic Score. Data are shown as n (%) or mean ± standard deviation.