Comparison of the Neuromuscular Blocking Effect of Atracurium and Vecuronium on the Adductor Pollicis and the Geniohyoid Muscle in Humans 

1995 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 649-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D'Honneur ◽  
B. Guignard ◽  
V. Slavov ◽  
R. Ruggler ◽  
P. Duvaldestin

Background Residual paralysis of suprahyoid muscles may occur when the adductor pollicis response has completely recovered after the administration of a neuromuscular blocking agent. The response of the geniohyoid muscle to intubating doses of muscle relaxants is evaluated and compared to that of adductor pollicis. Methods Sixteen patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were given 5-7 mg.kg-1 thiopental and 2 micrograms.kg-1 fentanyl intravenously for induction of anesthesia. Eight (half) patients then received 0.5 mg.kg-1 atracurium, and the other eight received 0.1 mg.kg-1 vecuronium. The evoked response (twitch height, TH) of the adductor pollicis was monitored by measuring the integrated electromyographic response (AP EMG) on one limb and the mechanical response, using a force transducer (AP force), on the other. The activity of geniohyoid muscle (GH EMG) was measured using submental percutaneous electrodes. The following variables were measured: maximal TH depression; onset time for neuromuscular blockade to 50%, 90%, and maximal TH depression (OT50, OT90, and OTmax); times between administration of neuromuscular blocking agent and TH recovery to 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 90% of control; and time for return of train-of-four ratio to return to 0.7. Results The principal findings were (1) OTmax was significantly (P < 0.01) shorter for geniohyoid than for adductor pollicis after either atracurium or vecuronium (OTmax was 216, 256, and 175 s for AP force, AP EMG, and GH EMG, with atracurium and 181, 199, and 144 s with vecuronium, respectively), and (2) the evoked EMG of geniohyoid recovered at the same speed as the EMG of adductor pollicis after an intubating dose of atracurium or vecuronium (recovery of TH to 75% of control at 50, 48, 42 min with AP force, AP EMG, and GH EMG with atracurium and 46, 45, and 42 min with vecuronium, respectively). Conclusions Once the adductor pollicis response has returned to normal values after a single intubating dose of atracurium or vecuronium, the risk of residual depression of the TH of the geniohyoid muscle, one of the principal muscles contributing to airway patency, appears unlikely.

1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (4) ◽  
pp. 951-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilles Dhonneur ◽  
Krassen Kirov ◽  
Velislav Slavov ◽  
Philippe Duvaldestin

Background Paralysis of the vocal cords is one objective of using relaxants to facilitate tracheal intubation. This study compares the neuromuscular blocking effect of succinylcholine and rocuronium on the larynx, the diaphragm, and the adductor pollicis muscle. Methods Electromyographic response was used to compare the neuromuscular blocking effect of succinylcholine and rocuronium on the laryngeal adductor muscles, the diaphragm, and the adductor pollicis muscle. Sixteen patients undergoing elective surgery were anesthetized with propofol and fentanyl, and their tracheas were intubated without neuromuscular blocking agents. The recurrent laryngeal and phrenic nerves were stimulated at the neck. The electromyographic response was recorded from electrodes placed on the endotracheal tube and intercostally before and after administration of 1 mg/kg succinylcholine or 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium. Results The maximum effect was greater at the adductor pollicis (100 and 99%) than at the larynx (96 and 97%) and the diaphragm (94 and 96%) after administration of succinylcholine and rocuronium, respectively (P < or = 0.05). Onset time was not different between the larynx (58+/-10 s), the diaphragm (57+/-8 s), and the adductor pollicis (54+/-13 s), after succinylcholine (all mean +/- SD). After rocuronium, onset time was 124+/-39 s at the larynx, 130+/-44 s at the diaphragm, and 115+/-21 s at the adductor pollicis. After succinylcholine administration, time to 90% recovery was 8.3+/-3.2, 7.2+/-3.5, and 9.1+/-3.0 min at the larynx, the diaphragm, and the adductor pollicis, respectively. Time to 90% recovery after rocuronium administration was 34.9+/-7.6, 30.4+/-4.2, and 49.1+/-11.4 min at the larynx, the diaphragm, and the adductor pollicis, respectively. Conclusion Neuromuscular blocking effect of muscle relaxants on the larynx can be measured noninvasively by electromyography. Although the larynx appears to be resistant to muscle relaxants, we could not demonstrate that its onset time differed from that of peripheral muscles.


2018 ◽  
Vol 129 (5) ◽  
pp. 970-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Savarese ◽  
Hiroshi Sunaga ◽  
Jeff D. McGilvra ◽  
Matthew R. Belmont ◽  
Matthew T. Murrell ◽  
...  

Abstract Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New Background Structure–activity studies were performed to identify a new neuromuscular blocking agent retaining the ultra-short acting characteristics of gantacurium, including degradation and reversal by l-cysteine, but lacking its histaminoid properties in man. CW 1759-50 has emerged from this program. Methods Adduction of CW 1759-50 with l-cysteine was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee–approved comparisons of CW 1759-50 to gantacurium were performed in rhesus monkeys. ED95 for neuromuscular blockade was established. Spontaneous recovery was compared to reversal by l-cysteine in paired studies of boluses or infusions. In addition, changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate after very large doses of 15 to 60 × ED95 were compared. Results The half-time of adduction of l-cysteine to CW 1759-50 in vitro was 2.3 min. The ED95 of CW 1759-50 was 0.069 ± 0.02 mg/kg; ED95 of gantacurium was 0.081 ± 0.05 mg/kg (P = 0.006). Duration of action (recovery to 95% twitch height after 98 to 99% blockade) was as follows: CW 1759-50, 8.2 ± 1.5 min; and gantacurium, 7.4 ± 1.9 min; (n = 8 and 9, P = 0.355). Administration of l-cysteine (30 mg/kg) shortened recovery (i.e., induced reversal) from CW 1759-50 after boluses or infusions (P always less than 0.0001). Recovery intervals (5 to 95% twitch) ranged from 6.1 to 6.7 min (and did not differ significantly) after boluses of 0.10 to 0.50 mg/kg, as well as control infusions (P = 0.426 by analysis of variance). Dose ratios comparing changes of 30% in mean arterial pressure or heart rate to ED95 for neuromuscular blockade (ED 30% Δ [mean arterial pressure or heart rate]/ED95) were higher for CW 1759-50 than for gantacurium. Conclusions CW 1759-50, similar to gantacurium, is an ultra-short acting neuromuscular blocking agent, antagonized by l-cysteine, in the monkey. The circulatory effects, however, are much reduced in comparison with gantacurium, suggesting a trial in humans.


1991 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
J. SWEN ◽  
H. W. J. ROOT ◽  
A. BENCINI ◽  
J. M. KET ◽  
J. HERMANS ◽  
...  

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 98 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-550

Background: Some neuromuscular blocking agents have previously been shown to have clinically significant hemodynamic effects. These agents should obviously be avoided in patients whose hemodynamic status might be considered compromised. Rocuronium bromide (ROC) is a new steroidal non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent recently approved for use by the FDA. The hemodynamic effects associated with its use in critically ill pediatric patients have not been reported. Methods: In a nonrandomized open-label study 10 infants and children (ages 1 mth to 68 mths, mean 14 mths; weight 2.9-16 kg, mean 6.3 kg) were given two doses of ROC (0.6 mg/kg followed by 0.9 mg/kg) as a neuromuscular blocking agent after congenital heart surgery, once their hemodynamic status was thought to be stable (mean 20 hours after admission). All patients were sedated with morphine, fentanyl, midazolam or a combination of fentanyl and midazolam. Hemodynamic parameters including heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), central venous pressure, left atrial pressure and pulmonary artery pressure were recorded when possible just prior to injection and at one minute, five minutes and ten minutes. Any apparent adverse effects were also noted. Results: ROC produced small, transient increases in HR and BP at both 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg doses. For both doses, the peak increase in BP was noted at one minute, with BP returning to baseline by five minutes. The maximal mean increase in BP for either group at any time period was 6%. The maximal increase in mean BP in any patient was 22%. Peak HR response was noted at five minutes in both groups and HR did not return to baseline by 10 minutes.


1995 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 1139-1145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Belmont ◽  
Cynthia A. Lien ◽  
Steve Quessy ◽  
Martha M. Abou-Donia ◽  
Amy Abalos ◽  
...  

Background Atracurium is a mixture of ten stereoisomers. 51W89, one of these isomers, is a potent nondepolarizing intermediate-duration neuromuscular blocking agent. Preclinical studies have shown 51W89 to be significantly more potent than atracurium but with a similar neuromuscular blocking profile. This study was undertaken to establish the neuromuscular blocking potency and pharmacodynamics of 51W89 in patients undergoing elective surgical procedures. Methods Ninety-nine ASA physical status 1 or 2 patients undergoing elective surgical procedures under nitrous oxide/opioid/barbiturate anesthesia were studied. The neuromuscular blocking effect of 51W89 was assessed after administration of bolus doses from 0.015 to 0.4 mg/kg, as well as during and after continuous infusions from 11 to 249 min in length. Results The calculated ED95 for inhibition of adductor pollicis twitch evoked at 0.15 Hz was 0.048 mg/kg. At 0.10 mg/kg, maximum block developed within 5.2 +/- 0.3 min, and recovery to 95% twitch height occurred 64.4 +/- 3.9 min after injection. At 0.4 mg/kg, onset was 1.9 +/- 0.1 min, and 95% recovery developed within 121.0 +/- 5.9 min. Comparative recovery indexes from 5% to 95% or from 25% to 75% twitch heights did not differ significantly among all dosage groups from 0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg (means ranged from 29.6 to 32.3 min and from 12.6 to 14.3 min, respectively). The average infusion rate necessary to maintain approximately 95% twitch suppression was 1.35 micrograms/kg/min. Recovery indexes from infusions were 5-95% 33.2 +/- 1.8 min and 25-75% 15.0 +/- 0.6 min, not differing significantly from recovery indexes from single bolus doses. Twenty-five patients received neostigmine (0.06 mg/kg) with atropine (0.03 mg/kg) at twitch height recovery of between 6% and 21%. Antagonism to 95% control twitch height developed within 6.8 +/- 0.3 min, and the neostigmine-accelerated 25-75% recovery index was 2.8 +/- 0.2 min. Conclusions 51W89 is a potent nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent that shows noncumulative intermediate-duration neuromuscular blocking pharmacodynamics.


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