TABLE 1.

Baseline characteristics of patients at inclusion in this trial.

	Control group (n = 50)	Treatment group (n = 52)
Gender, male/female	36/14	38/14
Age, years	69.74 ± 8.13	69.96 ± 8.14
BMI, kg/m2	22.97 ± 2.51	23.5 ± 2.78
PaO2, mmHg	108.72 ± 29.41	107.02 ± 25.06
PaCO2, mmHg	44.62 ± 11.6	42.73 ± 9.86
pH	7.45 ± 0.095	7.44 ± 0.083
Hemoglobin, g/dL	105.81 ± 29.2	110.42 ± 22.31
White blood cells, × 109/L	12.99 ± 5.69	13.31 ± 5.37
Platelet, × 109/L	177.88 ± 60.76	181.92 ± 55.2
APACHE II score on ICU admission	17.84 ± 3.45	16.62 ± 4.1
History of cardiac disease, n (%)	7(14%)	11(21.2%)
History of respiratory disease, n (%)	13(26%)	11(21.2%)
History of digestive disease, n (%)	1(2%)	2(3.8%)
History of hypertension, n (%)	22(44%)	29(55.8%)
History of diabetes, n (%)	16(32%)	13(25%)
History of cerebral apoplexy, n (%)	6(12%)	8(15.4%)