Early Enteral Nutrition in Patients Undergoing Sustained Neuromuscular Blockade: A Propensity-Matched Analysis Using a Nationwide Inpatient Database*

Early Enteral Nutrition in Patients Undergoing Sustained Neuromuscular Blockade: A Propensity-Matched Analysis Using a Nationwide Inpatient Database*

By Ohbe, Hiroyuki; Jo, Taisuke; Matsui, Hiroki; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Yasunaga, Hideo 

Critical Care Medicine: August 2019 - Volume 47 - Issue 8 - p 1072-1080

Objectives: Whether enteral nutrition should be postponed in patients undergoing sustained treatment with neuromuscular blocking agents remains unclear. We evaluated the association between enteral nutrition initiated within 2 days of sustained neuromuscular blocking agent treatment and in-hospital mortality.

Design: Retrospective administrative database study from July 2010 to March 2016. Setting: More than 1,200 acute care hospitals covering approximately 90% of all tertiary-care emergency hospitals in Japan.

Patients: Mechanically ventilated patients, who had undergone sustained treatment with neuromuscular blocking agents in an ICU, were retrospectively reviewed. We defined patients who received sustained treatment with neuromuscular blocking agents as those who received either rocuronium at greater than or equal to 250 mg/d or vecuronium at greater than or equal to 50 mg/d for at least 2 consecutive days. Interventions: Enteral nutrition started within 2 days from the initiation of neuromuscular blocking agents (defined as early enteral nutrition).

Measurements and Main Results: We identified 2,340 eligible patients during the 69-month study period. Of these, 378 patients (16%) had received early enteral nutrition. One-to-three propensity score matching created 374–1,122 pairs. The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in the early than late enteral nutrition group (risk difference, –6.3%; 95% CI, –11.7% to –0.9%). There was no significant difference in the rate of hospital pneumonia between the two groups (risk difference, 2.8%; 95% CI, –2.7% to 8.3%). Length of hospital stay among survivors was significantly shorter in the early compared with the late enteral nutrition group (risk difference, –11.4 d; 95% CI, –19.1 to –3.7 d). There was no significant difference between the two groups in length of ICU stay or length of mechanical ventilation among survivors.

Conclusions: According to this retrospective database study, early enteral nutrition may be associated with lower in-hospital mortality with no increase in-hospital pneumonia in patients undergoing sustained treatment with neuromuscular blocking agents.

Neuromuscular Blocking Agents and Neuromuscular Dysfunction Acquired in Critical Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Neuromuscular Blocking Agents and Neuromuscular Dysfunction Acquired in Critical Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Price, D R et al
Critical Care Medicine: November 2016 - Volume 44 - Issue 11 - p 2070–2078

Objective: The relationship between neuromuscular blocking agents and neuromuscular dysfunction acquired in critical illness remains unclear. We examined the association between neuromuscular blocking agents and ICU-acquired weakness, critical illness polyneuropathy, and critical illness myopathy. Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and bibliographies of included studies were searched from database inception until September 24, 2015. 
Study Selection: Randomized controlled trials and prospective observational studies examining the association between neuromuscular blocking agents and ICU-acquired weakness, critical illness polyneuropathy, or critical illness myopathy. Data Extraction: One author screened titles/abstracts. Two authors independently reviewed full text and extracted data from included studies. Meta-analysis was performed using the DerSimonian-Laird random effects model (OpenMetaAnalyst 10.10 for OS.X). We assessed reporting bias with funnel plots and heterogeneity with the I2 statistic. 
Data Synthesis: Of 2,170 titles/abstracts screened, 99 full texts were selected for review, yielding one randomized controlled trial and 18 prospective observational studies, for a total of 2,254 patients. The randomized controlled trial did not show an association between neuromuscular blocking agents and neuromuscular dysfunction acquired in critical illness (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.67–2.19), but pooled data from all included studies suggested a modest association (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.06–1.48; I2 = 16%). Funnel plots suggested reporting bias, and sensitivity analyses showed a disproportionate contribution from critical illness polyneuropathy/critical illness myopathy and severe sepsis/septic shock studies. 
Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests a modest association between neuromuscular blocking agents and neuromuscular dysfunction acquired in critical illness; limitations include studies with a high risk of bias and a disproportionate contribution from studies examining patients for critical illness polyneuropathy/critical illness myopathy and those with severe sepsis/septic shock.