Secondary outcomes
Hemodynamic data: Heart rate and systolic blood pressure daily. Tachycardia was considered if heart rate is above 100 bpm. Bradycardia was considered if heart rate is below 60 bpm. Hypertension was defined by “systolic BP above 140 mmHg or diastolic BP was above 90 mmHg”. Hypotension was defined by “systolic BP less than 90 mmHg, diastolic BP less than 50 mmHg or mean BP less than 65 mmHg”. Myocardial injury: a. Serum Troponin I. b. Any ECG abnormality. Seven- and thirty-day survival. In-hospital mortality. We introduced neurogenic cardiac injury score (NCIS) calculated via three components: the presence of cardiac dysfunction (diagnosed by TTE), elevated serum troponin, and the occurrence of hypotension (without evidence of hypovolemia or sepsis). Assessment of the presence of the three components of NCIS was done during the first 3 days of ICU admission. One point was added for a “yes” answer to each of the aforementioned items. The minimum NCIS was zero and the maximum NCIS was 3. The relationship between NCIS and patient outcome (in-hospital mortality) was analyzed.