Table 1 Patient characteristics and propensity score matching based on loading dose

Number of beds^a

  ≤ 199

181 (4.5)

596 (9.9)

180 (5.4)

184 (5.6)

 200–499

1,834 (45.9)

3,586 (59.4)

<0.001

1,727 (52.2)

1,731 (52.3)

0.007

  ≥ 500

1,983 (49.6)

1,850 (30.7)

1,402 (42.4)

1,394 (42.1)

CCI ^b

2 [1‒4]

2 [1‒4]

0.32

2 [1‒4]

2 [1‒4]

0.022

Age (years) ^b

75 [65‒83]

76 [67‒84]

 < 0.001

76 [66‒84]

75 [66‒83]

0.016

Weight ^b

54.8 [46.6‒63.8]

51.6 [43.6‒60.1]

 < 0.001

53.2 [45.4‒62.5]

53 [45‒62]

0.016

Reimbursement^a

 Infection prevention and control premium

3,165 (79.2)

4,504 (74.7)

 < 0.001

2,601 (78.6)

2,585 (78.1)

0.012

 Inpatient pharmaceutical service premium

2,438 (61.0)

2,112 (35.0)

 < 0.001

1,762 (53.2)

1,802 (54.5)

0.024

Site of infection^a

 Respiratory infection

1,392 (34.8)

2,569 (42.6)

 < 0.001

1,278 (38.6)

1,246 (37.7)

0.020

 Bacteremia/sepsis

1,302 (32.6)

2,030 (33.7)

0.26

1,110 (33.5)

1,092 (33.0)

0.012

 Urinary tract infections

333 (8.3)

579 (9.6)

0.03

294 (8.9)

294 (8.9)

 < 0.001

 Intra-abdominal infections

276 (6.9)

318 (5.3)

0.001

194 (5.9)

201 (6.1)

0.009

 Skin and soft tissue infection

348 (8.7)

391 (6.5)

 < 0.001

274 (8.3)

267 (8.1)

0.008

 Bone and joint infections

337 (8.4)

336 (5.6)

 < 0.001

259 (7.8)

241 (7.3)

0.021

 Central nervous system infections

45 (1.1)

49 (0.8)

0.11

32 (1.0)

34 (1.0)

0.006

 Infective endocarditis

40 (1.0)

37 (0.6)

0.03

32 (1.0)

29 (0.9)

0.009

Clinical department^a

 Internal medicine

827 (20.7)

2,037 (33.8)

806 (24.4)

839 (25.4)

 Hematology

385 (9.6)

912 (15.1)

354 (10.7)

372 (11.2)

 Surgery

456 (11.4)

695 (11.5)

 < 0.001

405 (12.2)

380 (11.5)

0.036

 Orthopedic surgery

410 (10.3)

449 (7.4)

316 (9.5)

316 (9.5)

 Others

1920 (48.0)

1,939 (32.1)

1,428 (43.2)

1,402 (42.4)