A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF ISOFLURANE AND DESFLURANE ON THE NEUROMUSCULAR EFFECTS OF MIVACURIUM

The effects of 1 MAC of desflurane and isoflurane (in 66% nitrous oxid e) on the potency and duration of action of mivacurium were studied in 80 patients. The ED(95) of mivacurium was 86 mu g.kg(-1) (74-100) and 88 mu g.kg(-1) (76-103) (mean and 95% confidence intervals) during an aesthesia with desflurane and isoflurane respectively. The onset and d uration of recovery to 25, 75 and 90% of T1 (first response in the TOF ) of 200 mu g.kg(-1) of mivacurium were 1.4 (0.3) and 1.5 (0.3) min (m ean and SD), 22 (4.9) and 19 (4.0), 29 (6.6) and 26 (5.8), and 32 (7.3 ) and 29 (6.6) min respectively. There was no significant difference i n any of the variables between desflurane and isoflurane. It is conclu ded that the neuromuscular effects of mivacurium are similar during an aesthesia with 1 MAC of desflurane and isoflurane.