Table 1

Baseline patient characteristics

Colistin (n = 32)

Tobramycin (n = 32)

P value

Number of patients with chronic diseases at the time of admission (%)

9 (28)

12 (37.5)

0.65

Median duration of treatment (IQR)

8 (5 to 13)

7 (6 to 10)

0.72

Mean age in years (± SD)

43.5 (± 15.6)

45.6 (± 18.2)

0.69‡

Mean APACHE score at ICU admission (± SD)

14.4* (± 5.1)

14.8** (± 5.4)

0.77‡

Dialysis at baseline (%)

3 (9.4)

5 (15.6)

0.60†

Median baseline creatinine (IQR) umol/L

76 (53 to 128)

56 (45 to 91)

0.08

Site of A. baumannii infection:

Bloodstream infection

10 (31%)

10 (31%)

1.00▫

Sputum/tracheal aspirate

22 (72%)

28 (88%)

0.13†

Wound pus swab

6 (18.8%)

11 (34.4%)

0.75▫

Cerebrospinal fluid

1 (3.1%)

0

NA

Central venous catheter tip

10 (31%)

9 (28%)

0.44▫

Urine

5 (15.6%)

4 (12.5%)

1.00†

*data available for 25 participants **data available for 21 participants † Fisher's Exact Test ‡ Two sample t- test • Wilcoxon rank sum test ▫ Two sample test of proportion

Gounden et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2009 9:26   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-9-26