Among patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS who were treated with a strategy involving a high PEEP, there was no significant difference in mortality at 90 days between patients who received an early and continuous cisatracurium infusion and those who were treated with a usual-care approach with lighter sedation targets.

The trial was stopped at the second interim analysis for futility. We enrolled 1006 patients early after the onset of moderate-to-severe ARDS. During the first 48 hours after randomization, 488 of the 501 patients in the intervention group started a continuous infusion of cisatracurium, and 86 of the 505 patients in the control group received a neuromuscular blocking agent.

Patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS were randomly assigned to a 48-hour continuous infusion of cisatracurium with concomitant deep sedation or to a usual-care approach without routine neuromuscular blockade and with lighter sedation targets.

Read More