Indices of organ damage measured in group 1(n = 32) and group 2(n = 29) measured at three time intervals.

<p>NT-proBNP, N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide; NGAL, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin; AST, <i>aspartate</i>.</p><p>Data presented as medians with 25th and 75th percentiles;</p><p>*p<0.05 compared to the baseline;</p>#<p>p<0.0001 compared to the baseline.</p

Indices of systemic inflammatory reaction in group 1(n = 31) and group 2(n = 29), measured at three time intervals.

<p>CRP, c-reactive protein; WBC, white blood cell count; IL-6, interleukin 6; IL-8, interleukin 8; TNF alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Data presented as medians with 25th and 75th percentiles;</p><p>*p<0.05 compared to the baseline;</p>#<p>p<0.0001 compared to the baseline.</p

Baseline characteristics of patients.

<p>*ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor; CPB, cardiopulmonary bypass. Data presented as medians with 25th and 75th percentiles.</p

Inflammatory mediators.

<p><b>Statistics</b>: Values are expressed as median and range.</p><p>WBC  =  White blood cell count (x10⁹/L); IL-1 =  Interleukin 1(pg/ml); TNF-α =  Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (pg/ml); LPS =  Lipopolysaccharide; iNO =  Inhaled nitric oxide.</p>1<p>within group from baseline to 30 hours.</p>2<p>Comparison of distribution of differences between LPS-only and control.</p>3<p>Comparison of distribution of differences against LPS-only (Bonferroni-Holm adjusted p-values within parenthesis).</p

Circulatory variables.

<p><b>Statistics</b>: Values are shown as median and range.</p>1<p>Within group from baseline to 30 hours.</p>2<p>Comparison of distribution of differences between LPS-only and control.</p>3<p>Comparison of distribution of differences against LPS-only (Bonferroni-Holm adjusted p-values within parenthesis).</p

Respiratory variables.

<p><b>Statistics</b>: Values are shown as median and range.</p>1<p>Within group from baseline to 30 hours.</p>2<p>Comparison of distribution of differences between LPS-only and control.</p>3<p>Comparison of distribution of differences against LPS-only (Bonferroni-Holm adjusted p-values within parenthesis).</p

Changes in serum creatinine levels over time, unit = µmol/L. LPS = lipopolysaccharide, IV steroid = intravenous hydrocortisone, iNO = inhaled nitric oxide.

<p>Values are shown as median and range. Data have been collected at 0, 12, 24 and 30(*: p = 0.02). No significances between treatment groups (IV steroid, iNO, IV steroid + iNO) and LPS alone were noted.</p

Kidney function.

<p><b>Statistics</b>: Values are shown as median and range.</p>1<p>Within group from baseline to 30 hours (urine output: no baseline value, volume collected over time, from 12 to 30 hours).</p>2<p>Comparison of distribution of differences between LPS-only and control.</p>3<p>Comparison of distribution of differences versus LPS-only (Bonferroni-Holm adjusted p-values within parenthesis).</p

Study protocol.

<p>The scale bar depicts time in hours.</p