Table 2 Baseline characteristics of study cohort (Mean ± SD, n = 404)

Age (yrs)

65.14 ± 19.60

Male sex (%)

38.9

Hospital Length of stay (days)

12.6 ± 9.8

Age ≥ 65 yrs. (%) (No.)

57.4 (232)

 Hypertension

41.9 (169)

 Coronary heart disease

19.3 (78)

 Heart failure

5.2 (21)

 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

8.4 (34)

 Diabetes mellitus

11.5 (46)

 Chronic renal insufficiency

6.7 (27)

 Liver disease

6.1 (25)

 Nervous system disease

7.8 (32)

 Tumour

10.9 (44)

Alcohol abuse (%) (No.)

2.9 (12)

Smoking (%) (No.)

31.4 (127)

Respiratory rate ≥

30 breaths/min (%) (No.)

26.5 (107)

PaO₂/FiO₂ ≤ 250 mmHg

(%) (No.)

32.7 (132)

Multilobar infiltrates (%) (No.)

67.1 (271)

Confusion (%) (No.)

13.1 (53)

Uremia (%) (No.)

38.6 (156)

Leukopenia (%) (No.)

14.6 (59)

Thrombocytopenia (%) (No.)

9.2 (37)

Hypothermia (%) (No.)

12.4 (50)

Hypotension (%) (No.)

35.6 (144)