riaxone daily (3.26 ± 6.9 days) (p = 0.034). The odds ratio for ICU utilization was 0.11 (95% CI 0.02--0.65). However, this difference was no longer significant after controlling for MELD score - odds ratio 0.21 (95% CI 0.04--1.07). Finally, we examined one-year survival for patients treated with 1 versus 2 g ceftriaxone, and found a significant improvement in survival associated with the 2 g dose (p 0.0034 log rank test) ( [Figure 1](#f1){ref-type="fig"}). Median overall survival was greater for patients treated with the 2 g dose (228 days vs. 102 days, however it was not significant (p = 0.26).

###### Hospital course characteristics by ceftriaxone dose.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       1 g (N=34)     2 g (N=57)    p-value
  ------------------------------------ -------------- ------------- ---------------
  Length of stay (days)                13.24 ± 21.5   10.28 ± 7.2   0.443

  ICU days                             3.26 ± 6.9     0.59 ± 1.78   ***0.034\****

  Repeat paracentesis at\              14 (41)        32 (56)       0.167
  index hospitalization (N, %)                                      

  Repeat paracentesis with\            7 (21)         11 (19)       0.881
  \>250 neutrophils (N, %)                                          

  30-day readmission (N, %)            11 (32)        16 (28)       0.665

  Other inpatient antibiotics (N, %)   25 (74)        35 (61)       0.238

  Total inpatient antibiotic days      8.4 ± 8.5      8.8 ± 6.3     0.821

  Inpatient duration of\               4.8 ± 3.1      5.3 ± 3.2     0.491
  ceftriaxone (days)                                                

  Creatinine at\                       1.57 ± 1.04    1.41 ± 1.46   0.529
  discharge                                                         
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\[\[i\] ICU = intensive care unit. \* Not significant after controlling for MELD sco