Continuous Neuromuscular Blockade and Mortality in Subjects With Exacerbation of Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias

METHODS The effect of continuous rocuronium infusion was retrospectively analyzed using data in the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination in-patient database from July 2010 to March 2016. We compared 28-d mortality between the continuous rocuronium infusion group (intravenous doses of ≥ 150 mg/d) and the control group using 1:4 propensity score matching.

RESULTS We enrolled 4,925 subjects. Propensity score matching yielded 66 subjects in the rocuronium group and 264 subjects in the control group. There was no significant difference in 28-d mortality (rocuronium vs control, 52% vs 44%, P = .31) or in-hospital mortality (68% vs 61%, P = .28) between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS Continuous rocuronium infusion was not significantly associated with decreased mortality in patients with exacerbation of IIPs requiring mechanical ventilation.