In patients with severe ARDS, early administration of a neuromuscular blocking agent improved the adjusted 90-day survival and increased the time off the ventilator without increasing muscle weakness. (Funded by Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille and the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique Régional 2004-26 of the French Ministry of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00299650.)

Programme Hospitalier Recherche Clinique, Institut Pasteur, Inserm, French Public Health Agency.

Use of NMBA during a 48-hr period in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with a sustained improvement in oxygenation.

French Ministry of Health and the Société Française d'Anesthésie Réanimation.