Association of Continuous Opioids and/or Midazolam During Early Mechanical Ventilation with Survival and Sensorimotor Outcomes at Age 2 Years in Premature Infants: Results from the French Prospective National EPIPAGE 2 Cohort

Objective To evaluate the association of early continuous infusions opioids and/or midazolam with survival and sensorimotor outcomes at age 2 years in very premature infants who were ventilated. Study design This national observational study included born before 32 weeks gestation intubated within 1 hour after birth still 24 hours from French EPIPAGE cohort. Infants only treated bolus excluded. Treated received opioid infusion started 7 days life first extubation. Naive did not receive these treatments extubation, or them week life, never them. compared (n = 450) vs naive 472) by using inverse probability treatment weighting multiple imputation chained equations. The primary without moderate severe neuromotor sensory impairment years. Results Survival was significantly higher group (92.5% 87.9%, risk difference, 4.7%; 95% CI, 0.3-9.1; P .037), but differ for (86.6% 81.3%; 5.3%; CI –0.3 to 11.0; .063). These results confirmed sensitivity analyses 5 alternative models. Conclusions Continuous during initial mechanical ventilation that continued past associated improved any difference impairments