2.4. Randomization and Masking
pneumonia, urinary-tract infection, cancer, fractures, primary disease
CANCER, PNEUMONIA, RECRUITMENT
Participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to the intensive care (IC) group or the standard care (SC) group by the randomly permuted block method with stratification by gender, skeletal mass index (SMI), and primary disease of hospitalization (cancer, fractures, urinary-tract infection, or pneumonia). A computer-generated random number sequence was prepared by an independent statistician before initiation of the study; the sequence was managed on a password-protected computer by an external data manager having no connection with the survey. After recruitment, the participants were numbered consecutively and the information was sent to the external data manager, who finally sent the group allocations back to the survey personnel. After allocation to the groups, it was not feasible for the participants or study personnel to be blinded; all personnel who subsequently evaluated the data or made judgment on the results were blinded.