• Marlon E F Wilsterman, Pauline de Jager, Robert Blokpoel, Inez Frerichs, Sandra K Dijkstra, Albers Marcel J I J MJIJ Division of Paediatric Intensive Care, Department of Paediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of, Burgerhof Johannes G M JGM Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands., Dick G Markhorst, and Kneyber Martin C J MCJ Division of Paediatric Intensive Care, Department of Paediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of G.
• Division of Paediatric Intensive Care, Department of Paediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
• Ann Intensive Care. 2016 Dec 1; 6 (1): 103.

BackgroundNeuromuscular blockade (NMB) has been shown to improve outcome in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in adults, challenging maintaining spontaneous breathing when there is severe lung injury. We tested in a prospective physiological study the hypothesis that continuous administration of NMB agents in mechanically ventilated children with severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) improves the oxygenation index without a redistribution of tidal volume V T toward non-dependent lung zones.MethodsOxygenation index, PaO2/FiO2 ratio, lung mechanics (plateau pressure, mean airway pressure, respiratory system compliance and resistance), hemodynamics (heart rate, central venous and arterial blood pressures), oxygenation [oxygenation index (OI), PaO2/FiO2 and SpO2/FiO2], ventilation (physiological dead space-to-V T ratio) and electrical impedance tomography measured changes in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV), and V T distribution was measured before and 15 min after the start of continuous infusion of rocuronium 1 mg/kg. Patients were ventilated in a time-cycled, pressure-limited mode with pre-set V T. All ventilator settings were not changed during the study.ResultsTwenty-two patients were studied (N = 18 met the criteria for pediatric ARDS). Median age (25-75 interquartile range) was 15 (7.8-77.5) weeks. Pulmonary pathology was present in 77.3%. The median lung injury score was 9 (8-10). The overall median CoV and regional lung filling characteristics were not affected by NMB, indicating no ventilation shift toward the non-dependent lung zones. Regional analysis showed a homogeneous time course of lung inflation during inspiration, indicating no tendency to atelectasis after the introduction of NMB. NMB decreased the mean airway pressure (p = 0.039) and OI (p = 0.039) in all patients. There were no significant changes in lung mechanics, hemodynamics and EELV. Subgroup analysis showed that OI decreased (p = 0.01) and PaO2/FiO2 increased (p = 0.02) in patients with moderate or severe PARDS.ConclusionsNMB resulted in an improved oxygenation index in pediatric patients with AHRF. Distribution of V T and regional lung filling characteristics were not affected.

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