title: [Plasma histamine levels after the administration of atracurium or pancuronium in patients undergoing general anesthesia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the release of histamine induced by atracurium and pancuronium.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 20 patients ASA III undergoing vascular surgery under etomidate anesthesia. Patients were randomly treated with either 0.5 mg/kg of atracurium or 0.1 mg/kg of pancuronium as muscle relaxant agents. Plasma histamine concentration, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, PaO2, and PaCO2 were measured at the basal state and 1.2 and 5 min after administration of the muscle relaxant drug.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma histamine concentration at baseline were 0.691 +/- 0.6 ng/ml in the atracurium group and 0.756 +/- 0.612 ng/ml in the pancuronium group. These levels raised up to 2.748 +/- 6.278 ng/ml (atracurium) and 2.553 +/- 5.454 ng/ml (pancuronium). These differences were not statistically significant. The course of the remaining parameters studied in these patients was also comparable between the two groups. There were no clinical manifestations associated with the release of histamine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma levels of histamine after administration of atracurium were not significantly different from those induced by pancuronium.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación y Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Asuero
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larrodera
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Molins
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubial
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dávila
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001279:Atracurium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005045:Etomidate; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006632:Histamine / Q000097:blood*; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D001279:Atracurium; D006632:Histamine; D010197:Pancuronium; D005045:Etomidate
vernacular_title: Niveles plasmáticos de histamina tras la administración de atracurio o pancuronio en pacientes sometidos a anestesia general.