Mark Wefers Bettink

Chapter 6 112 test). To analyze differences over time within groups, Friedman’s test were performed followed by Dunn’s post hoc multiple comparison test vs. baseline measurements. The sample size of 4 in the time-control study was based on a power analysis using data from the LPS group: a mean change of 18.4 mmHg with a standard deviation of 11 mmHg, a significance level of 5% and a power of 80%. Two-sided p values of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Statistical calculations were performed using Graphpad Prism version 6.0 (GraphPad Software, La Jolla, CA, USA). Results Hemodynamic and clinical parameters Baseline characteristics of the study subjects are listed in Table 1 and revealednobetween- group differences. In the control group, no changes in heart rate, MAP, temperature or symptom score were observed during the experiment (Fig. 3). In the LPS group, a significant decrease in MAP (median [IQR]) from 98 [93-108] mmHg at baseline to 85 [80- 94] mmHg at 4 hours and 83 [81-94] mmHg at 7 hours and post-LPS was observed (Fig. 3A). Heart rate (median [IQR]) showed a compensatory increase at the same timepoints: from 63 [60-75] at baseline to 96 [88-98] bpm at 4 hours and 88 [80-91] bpm at 7 hours post-LPS (Fig. 3B). Table 1. Demographic characteristics. All participants (n=52) Control (n=4) LPS (n=12) LPS + intervention (n=36) Age, years 22 [20-24] 21 [14] 22 [20-22] 22 [20-24] BMI, kg.m - ² 23.4 [22.2-24.6] 24.2 [6.2] 23·1 [22·2-23·9] 23.5 [22.2-24.6] Systolic blood pressure, mmHg 139 [131-152] 121 [24] 137 [122-156] 140 [136-152 Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg 72 [65-79] 71 [8] 73 [66-82] 72 [64-79] Heart rate, bpm 64 [56-71] 65 [21] 66 [59-75] 64 [55-67]