Mechanical ventilation with lower tidal volumes does not influence the prescription of opioids or sedatives

Table 5 Sedative drugs for the whole period of 29 days

	Before intervention (n = 23)		After intervention (n = 38)		P value
	Non-ALI/ARDS (n = 13)	ALI/ARDS (n = 10)	Non-ALI/ARDS (n = 23)	ALI/ARDS (n = 15)
Morphine
Mean (mg/kg per day; 95% CI)	0.18 (-0.33 to +0.69)	0.61 (0.25 to 0.97)	0.11 (-0.41 to +0.64)	0.61 (0.33 to 0.90)	0.18^a
Patients needing morphine (n [%])	10 (77)	7 (70)	18 (78)	14 (93)	0.49^b
Midazolam
Mean (mg/kg per day; 95% CI)	0.08 (-1.8 to +1.64)	0.24 (-1.15 to +1.62)	0.04 (-1.60 to +1.69)	2.04 (0.93 to 3.15)	0.08^a
Patients needing midazolam (n [%])	8 (62)	8 (80)	10 (43)	13 (87)	0.04^b
Propofol
Mean (mg/kg per day; 95% CI)	0.88 (-20.4 to +22.2)	14.5 (-0.99 to +23.0)	5.96 (-16.4 to +28.3)	19.3 (7.12 to 31.5)	0.44^a
Patients needing propofol (n [%])	9 (69)	9 (90)	20 (87)	14 (93)	0.30^b

CI, confidence interval. ^aP value for comparison of means by linear mixed model analysis, comparing all four groups. ^bP value for comparison of number of patients by χ² test. ALI, acute lung injury; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome.

ISSN: 1364-8535