Association between intraoperative non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agent dose and 30-day readmission after abdominal surgery

We hypothesised that intraoperative non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) dose is associated with 30-day hospital readmission. Data from 13,122 adult patients who underwent abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia at a tertiary care hospital were analysed by multivariable regression, to examine the effects of intraoperatively administered NMBA dose on 30-day readmission (primary endpoint), hospital length of stay, and hospital costs. Clinicians used cisatracurium (mean dose [SD] 0.19 mg kg−1 [0.12]), rocuronium (0.83 mg kg−1 [0.53]) and vecuronium (0.14 mg kg−1 [0.07]). Intraoperative administration of NMBAs was dose-dependently associated with higher risk of 30-day hospital readmission (adjusted odds ratio 1.89 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.26–2.84] for 5th quintile vs 1st quintile; P for trend: P