Results
A total of 241 patients were included in the study, with 135 receiving neostigmine and 106 receiving sugammadex for the reversal of neuromuscular blockade. There was no significant difference between the MELD score for patients receiving sugammadex or neostigmine (13.7±6.9 vs. 12.3±7.5, p=0.10), respectively. There was also no difference in the donor process (DCD vs. DBD) between the two groups (P=0.13) (Table 1).
After the completion of liver transplantation, immediate POD 0-1 bleeding requiring transfusion occurred in 20% of patients in the neostigmine group vs 10.4% in the sugammadex group (difference 0.46% [95% Cl, 0.22% to 0.98%]). POD 0-1 reoperation for bleeding occurred in 1.5% of patients in neostigmine group vs 0% in sugammadex group (difference 0.25% [95% Cl, 0.01% to 5.35%]). POD 0 mean INR was 2.0±0.4 in both groups. POD 0 mean aPTT was 45.5±7.9 in neostigmine group vs 49.3±9.0 in sugammadex group (difference 3.8% [95% Cl, 1.65% to 5.94%]). Among secondary outcomes, PONV POD 0 occurred in 32.6% of patients in neostigmine group vs 29.2% in sugammadex group (difference 0.86% [95% Cl, 0.49% to 1.49%]). Acute organ rejection occurred in 0.7% patients in neostigmine group vs 1.9% in sugammadex group (difference 2.58% [95% Cl, 0.23% to 28.81%], p =0.58). Length of stay is similar with mean 7.0±4.6) days in neostigmine group vs 7.8±5.7) days in sugammadex group (difference 0.87 [95%Cl, -0.44 to 2.17]) (Table 2). The mean differences and 95% CI displayed were demonstrated in Figure 1. The difference in POD 0 PTT was significantly different between the two groups.