Table 1.
Patients’ baseline characteristics
| Age, years | 59 [43–66] |
| Gender, female | 22 (43.14%) |
| Body mass index, kg m−2 | 24.22 [20.81–29.73] |
| Past medical history | |
| Active smoking | 13 (25.49%) |
| Chronic arterial hypertension | 12 (23.52%) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 7 (13.72%) |
| Cancer and/or immunodepression | 9 (17.64%) |
| Cirrhosis | 9 (17.64%) |
| Chronic obstructive apnoea | 4 (7.84%) |
| History of hepatic encephalopathy | 3 (5.88%) |
| Chronic respiratory disease | 2 (3.92%) |
| Neuromuscular disease | 2 (3.92%) |
| Other | 9 (17.64%) |
| Reason for ICU admission | |
| Acute neurologic failure | 29 (56.80%) |
| Acute respiratory failure | 10 (19.61%) |
| Shock | 7 (13.73%) |
| Acute renal failure | 5 (9.80%) |
| Reason for endotracheal intubation | |
| Drug and/or alcohol poisoning | 9 (17.65%) |
| Hepatic encephalopathy | 5 (9.80%) |
| Post-extubation respiratory distress | 5 (9.80%) |
| Acute respiratory failure | 4 (7.84%) |
| Septic shock | 4 (7.84%) |
| Epileptic condition | 3 (5.88%) |
| Guillain–Barré syndrome | 3 (5.88%) |
| Myasthenia gravis | 2 (3.92%) |
| Encephalitis | 2 (3.92%) |
| Haemorrhagic shock | 2 (3.92%) |
| Acute pancreatitis | 2 (3.92%) |
| Delirium tremens | 1 (1.96%) |
| Meningitis | 1 (1.96%) |
| Inhalation pneumopathy | 1 (1.96%) |
| Haemorrhagic stroke | 1 (1.96%) |
| Other | 6 (11.76%) |
| SAPS II | 46 [30–62] |
| SOFA score at ICU admission | 6 [3–10] |
| Arterial blood gas values at ICU admission (n = 30) | |
| pH | 7.39 [7.27–7.45] |
| PaCO2, mmHg | 37.13 [28.50–43.50] |
| PaO2, mmHg | 101.38 [76–145.50] |
| PaO2/FiO2 | 323 [233–479] |
| SaO2, % | 97.75 [95.25–99.15] |
| CO2, mmol/L | 24.50 [17.40–27.40] |
| SpO2/FiO2 at ICU admission | 388 [278–457] |
| Arterial lactate, mmol L−1 | 2.10 [1.50–4.60] |
The data are median [25th–75th percentiles] or number (percentage)
ICU intensive care unit; SAPSII Simplified Acute Physiology Score version II; SOFA score Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score