Rocuronium pretreatment reduces suxamethonium-induced myalgia: comparison with vecuronium

• Published in: British Journal of Anaesthesia Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 526 - 529
• Main Authors: Findlay, G P, Spittal, M J
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-04-1996; Oxford University Press; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Androstanols - therapeutic use; Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents; Biological and medical sciences; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Muscular Diseases - chemically induced; Muscular Diseases - prevention & control; Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents - adverse effects; Neuromuscular Junction - drug effects; Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents - therapeutic use; Neuropharmacology; Pain, Postoperative - prevention & control; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Preanesthetic Medication; Prospective Studies; Rocuronium; Succinylcholine - adverse effects; Surgery, Oral; Vecuronium Bromide - therapeutic use; Depolarisant myorelaxant; Prevention; Striated muscle disease; Non depolarisant myorelaxant; Pain; Toxicity; Drug interaction; Myalgia; Pretreatment
• ISSN: 0007-0912; 1471-6771
• DOI: 10.1093/bja/76.4.526

We have studied, in 150 patients undergoing elective oral surgery, the effectiveness and sequelae of pretreatment with rocuronium for reducing myalgia after suxamethonium. Patients were allocated randomly to one of three groups: anaesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl, and group V received vecuronium 1 mg, group R rocuronium 6 mg and group P placebo pretreatment. Suxamethonium 1.5 mg kg-1 was given 60 s after the pretreatment agent. All patients received ketorolac 10 mg i.v. and morphine 10 mg i.m. for analgesia. The incidence of postoperative myalgia on day 1 after rocuronium (20%) was significantly less than after vecuronium (42%) (P < 0.05) or placebo (70%) (P < 0.01). By day 4 the incidence of myalgia was 28.6% in the rocuronium group, 46.3% in the vecuronium group and 95% in the placebo group. Intubating conditions were not affected adversely by any pretreatment regimen.