Curare in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension as it occurs in the idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

Thirteen infants with pulmonary hypertension occurring in the course of the idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome received curare on 26 occasions. The histaminic effect of curare in relieving the shunting was minimal, whilst its muscle relaxant properties might be important in determining the outcome. The survival rate was 54%— ad those dying having intraventricular haemorrhage. The alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradient proved the most sensitive index of shunting whilst the arterial/alveolar oxygen tension ratio and the arterial oxygen tension/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio might prove more useful clinically.