Table 1 Characteristics of the study population

Baseline characteristics

 Age (years)^a

66 ± 14

 Gender ratio (male/female)

1.5

 Body mass index^a

26 ± 7

 SOFA on ICU admission^b

7 [5–11]

 SAPS II on ICU admission^b

60 [40–72]

 McCabe score 2^c,d

26 (13)

 Hematological malignancy or cancer previously diagnosed^c

33 (17)

 Nonmalignant hematological abnormality previously diagnosed^c,e

14 (7)

 Reason for ICU admission^c

 Acute respiratory failure

67 (35)

 Severe sepsis/septic shock

50 (26)

 Acute renal failure and metabolic disorder

28 (14)

 Coma

19 (10)

 Other^f

29 (15)

Vitamin B12 deficiency^c,g,h

2 (2)

Vitamin B9 deficiency^c,g,i

25 (36)

Days from admission to biopsy (days)^b

5 [3–8]

Characteristics on the day of BMA

 BMA at the sternal site^c

155 (80)

 BMA at the iliac crest site

38 (20)

 Sepsis^cj

124 (64)

 Adenopathy^c,j

14 (7)

 Splenomegaly^c

7 (4)

 Monoclonal gammapathy^c

18 (9)

 Anticoagulant agent^c,k

129 (67)

 Prophylactic anticoagulation^c

87 (45)

 Therapeutic anticoagulation^c

42 (22)

 Antiplatelet agent^c

31 (16)

 Proton-pump inhibitor agent^c

40 (21)

 Anti-infectious agent with potential hematoxcicity^c

146 (76)

 Other agent with potential hematoxcicity^c

76 (39)

 Pre-BMA HScore

62 [24–96]

 SOFA^c

8 [5–11]

 Invasive ventilation^c

52 (27)

 Vasopressors^c

90 (47)

 Renal replacement therapy

31 (16)

ICU length of stay^b

14 [7–29]

ICU mortality^c

59 (31)

Hospital mortality^c

78 (40)