A comparison of the potentiation by desflurane of the effects of rocoronium and cisatracurium

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction:Of the volatile anaesthetic agents, desflurane causes the greatest degree of potentiation of theneuromuscular blocking drugs (NMB). The purpose of this study was to determine whetherdesflurane prolongs the effects of 3xED95 doses of rocuronium and cisatracurium to the samedegree. The two NMB represent potent and less potent classes respectively.Methods:Informed, written consent was obtained from 63 adult patients scheduled for routine surgery.They were randomly allocated to one of four groups to receive either desflurane-sufentanil(end-tidal partial pressure 4.0 kPa) or propofol-sufentanil anaesthesia and either rocuronium(0.9mg/kg) or cisatracurium (0.15mg/kg). All patients received a target-controlled sufentanilinfusion (0.5 ng/ml). Neuromuscular blockade was recorded using accelerometry (TOFGUARD®, Organon) while patients recovered spontaneously to a Train-of-Four ratio of 0.9(TOFR0.9). Data were analysed using one- and two-way analysis of variance. The maineffects were the types of anaesthetic and NMB on indices of recovery.Results:Compared with propofol-sufentanil anaesthesia, mean times to recovery to T125% andTOFR0.9, were prolonged by desflurane-sufentanil (p<0.01). There were no interactions.Mean prolongation of time to TOFR0.9 was 41 min (SD 36) for cisatracurium and 26.6 min(SD 39) for rocuronium.Discussion:Whereas previous studies did not reveal prolongation of the duration of action of rocuroniumby desflurane, we demonstrated a statistically significant prolongation of the spontaneousrecovery times of both rocuronium and cisatracurium by desflurane. From the data we couldnot conclude that there was a difference between the two NMB. A power study revealed thatin order to detect a difference between times to recovery to TOF0.9, a sample size of 101subjects per group would be required.Conclusion:Desflurane prolongs the mean time to spontaneous recovery from neuromuscular blockadeafter 3xED95 doses of both cisatracurium (a potent NMB) and rocuronium (a less potentNMB). There was wide inter-individual variation in times to spontaneous recovery. Anydifference in the mean prolongations between the different types of NMB is unlikely to be ofclinical importance.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University