Mj. Baurain et al., LOW AND HIGH-FREQUENCY STIMULATION TESTS TO CHARACTERIZE THE EFFECTS OF EDROPHONIUM ON VECURONIUM-INDUCED NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCK, British Journal of Anaesthesia, 74(1), 1995, pp. 12-15
We recorded adductor pollicis mechanical activity in response to low (
0.1 and 2 Hz) and high (50 and 100 Hz) frequency stimulation 15 min af
ter edrophonium 250, 500 and 1000 mu g kg(-1), given to antagonize vec
uronium-induced block at 10, 25 and 50% pre-reversal twitch height. We
studied 54 ASA class I and II anaesthetized (methohexitone, fentanyl,
nitrous oxide) young adult patients allocated randomly to nine groups
of six patients each. The greater sensitivity of train-of four (TOF)
ratio and residual force after 100-Hz, 5-s tetanic stimulation (RF100)
to residual deficit allowed discrimination more readily between the e
ffects of edrophonium dose and pre-reversal twitch height (P < 0.001,
two-way analysis of variance). The highest reversal scores (approximat
ely 0.9 TOF ratio and 0.6 RF100) were obtained when edrophonium 500-10
00 mg kg(-1) was given at 50% twitch height (P < 0.05, Duncan's test).