Early short course of neuromuscular blocking agents in patients with COVID-19 ARDS: a propensity score analysis

Table 5 NMBA treatment versus controls in patients with clinically suspected and microbiologically confirmed COVID-19 on 90-day in-hospital mortality

	Propensity score-matched cohort (N = 792)
90-day mortality from ICU admission	Control (N = 396)	NMBA treatment (N = 396)	Total (N = 792)
Survived	334 (84.3%)	314 (79.3%)	648 (81.8%)
Died	62 (15.7%)	82 (20.7%)	144 (18.2%)
Total	396	396	792

Prior to propensity score matching, neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) treatment, defined as at least 2 days of continuous use of NMBAs or up to 3 days, within 48 h from commencement of invasive mechanical ventilation, was associated with mortality (unadjusted Cox regression; HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.06, 1.66, p = 0.015). After propensity score matching, 396 patients who received NMBA treatment were matched with 396 controls (using replacement). Using the propensity score-matched cohort and adjusting for covariates listed in Table 4, NMBA therapy was not associated with 90-day mortality (adjusted HR 1.44, 95% CI 0.99, 2.09, p = 0.055)

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