Comparison of three cisatracurium dosing strategies in acute respiratory distress syndrome: A focus on drug utilization and improvement in oxygenation

PURPOSE: Three continuous dosing strategies of cisatracurium (CIS) for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have been described in the literature. After implementation of a ventilator synchrony protocol (VSP), we sought to determine which continuous CIS dosing strategy utilized the least amount of drug without compromising efficacy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with ARDS receiving continuous CIS from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018. We categorized patients into one of three dosing strategies: fixed dose (FD), titration based solely on train-of-four (TOF), or the VSP. We documented drug consumption and determined efficacy by comparing the change in PaO(2)/FiO(2) ratio (P/F) and oxygenation index (OI) from baseline up to 48 h. RESULTS: A total of 1047 patients were screened, and 189 met inclusion criteria (VSP = 69, TOF = 99, FD = 21). Drug consumption (mg) was significantly lower in the VSP arm: 415 [IQR 318–528] compared to both the TOF: 665 [IQR 472–927] and the FD arms: 1730 [IQR 1695–1800], p < 0.001 for each. The change in P/F and OI from baseline were statistically equivalent at all time points. CONCLUSION: Without impacting efficacy of gas exchange, a protocol using ventilator synchrony for CIS titration required significantly less drug compared to TOF-based titration and a fixed dosing regimen.