Korean J Anesthesiol.  1999 May;36(5):777-782. 10.4097/kjae.1999.36.5.777.

Rocuronium Pretreatment for Prevention of Myalgia Following Succinylcholine Administration

• Kim JH
• Jeon SY
• Cho H
• Lee HW
• Lim HJ
• Chang SH
• Yoon SM

• KMID: 2240065
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.1999.36.5.777

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of rocuronium pretreatment on the succinylcholine induced biochemical changes and fasciculations, myalgia and to compare it with vecuronium pretreatment.
METHODS
We have studied 60 patients undergoing minor elective surgery, in a prospective double blinded method. Three groups of 20 patients each were pretreated with saline 0.01 ml/kg (group C), rocuronium 0.05 mg/kg (group R), or vecuronium 0.007 mg/kg (group V). Three minutes after the pretreatment, 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine was injected. Serum potassium five minutes after succinylcholine and creatine kinase 24 hr after operation were measured. Fasciculations and postoperative myalgia at 24 and 48 h were evaluated.
RESULTS
The increase in creatine kinase and incidence of fasciculations were lowest in the rocuronium group (33 IU/L; 15%) and followed by vecuronium group (58 IU/L; 50%) and highest in the control group (101 IU/L; 100%). The increase in serum potassium concentration (0.3 mEq/L) was not attenuated by any regimen. The incidence of postoperative myalgia on day 1 and day 2 was lower in the rocuronium (40%, 30%) and the vecuronium (50%; 35%) group than control group (85%; 75%).
CONCLUSIONS
Rocuronium pretreatment is more effective in reducing creatine kinase rise and fasciculations after succinylcholine than vecuronium. However rocuronium and vecuronium are also effective in preventing postoperative myalgia.

Keyword

Blood, potassium, creatine kinase; Muscle, skeletal, fasciculations, myalgia; Neuromuscular relaxants, succinylcholine, rocuronium, vecuronium

MeSH Terms

Creatine Kinase
Fasciculation
Humans
Incidence
Myalgia*
Potassium
Prospective Studies
Succinylcholine*
Vecuronium Bromide
Creatine Kinase
Potassium
Succinylcholine
Vecuronium Bromide