Effectiveness of a multi-modal intervention protocol for preventing stress ulcers in critically ill older patients after gastrointestinal surgery

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of study participants, n (%)

Characteristic	Intervention group (n = 100)	Control group (n = 100)	P value
Age, years (mean ± SD)	73.5 ± 6.2	74.1 ± 5.9	0.47
Male sex	58 (58)	55 (55)	0.67
BMI, kg/m² (mean ± SD)	24.3 ± 3.8	24.7 ± 4.1	0.46
APACHE II score (mean ± SD)	18.3 ± 5.7	17.9 ± 6.1	0.63
Type of surgery
Gastric	28 (28)	30 (30)	0.75
Colorectal	45 (45)	42 (42)	0.67
Hepatobiliary	18 (18)	20 (20)	0.72
Pancreatic	9 (9)	8 (8)	0.80
Comorbidities
Hypertension	62 (62)	59 (59)	0.66
Diabetes mellitus	35 (35)	38 (38)	0.66
Coronary artery disease	28 (28)	25 (25)	0.63
COPD	15 (15)	18 (18)	0.57
Chronic kidney disease	12 (12)	10 (10)	0.65
Mechanical ventilation	78 (78)	75 (75)	0.61
Vasopressor use	45 (45)	48 (48)	0.67

BMI: Body mass index; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Table 2 Secondary outcomes, n (%)

Outcome	Intervention group (n = 100)	Control group (n = 100)	P value
Ulcer healing time, days (mean ± SD)1	5.2 ± 2.1	7.8 ± 3.4	0.003
Stress ulcer-related complications	3 (3)	9 (9)	0.04
Length of ICU stay, days [median (IQR)]	5 [3-8]	7 [4-11]	0.01
Length of hospital stay, days (mean ± SD)	12.3 ± 5.6	15.7 ± 7.2	0.001
30-day mortality	8 (8)	13 (13)	0.25
Ventilator-associated pneumonia	7 (7)	15 (15)	0.07
Clostridium difficile infection	2 (2)	5 (5)	0.25

¹Among patients who developed stress ulcers. ICU: Intensive care unit.

Table 3 Incidence of stress ulcers by risk category, n (%)

Risk category	Intervention group	Control group	P value
Low risk	2/35 (5.7)	4/33 (12.1)	0.35
Moderate risk	6/42 (14.3)	13/45 (28.9)	0.09
High risk	7/23 (30.4)	13/22 (59.1)	0.05