title: Phenytoin reduces suxamethonium-induced myalgia.
abstract: A prospective, randomised trial was undertaken in 60 healthy adults to determine the efficacy of intravenously administered phenytoin in doses of 5 mg.kg-1 for the prevention of suxamethonium-induced fasciculations, a rise in serum K+ and myalgia. This was compared with tubocurarine pretreatment and no pretreatment (control group). Phenytoin pretreatment significantly reduced myalgia from 45% (nine patients) in the control group to 10% (two patients) (p less than 0.05). It also decreased the duration and mean intensity of fasciculations. Incidentally, phenytoin was also found to decrease significantly mean serum Na+ levels (p less than 0.001) both at 5 and 20 min after administration. Tubocurarine pretreatment (3 mg) resulted in a significant decrease in fasciculations, but myalgia, which occurred in five patients, remained the same. No significant correlation was found between muscle fasciculations, postoperative myalgia and K+ changes, but patients with myalgia had a significant decrease in mean serum Na+ levels at 5 and 20 min after suxamethonium (p less than 0.01).
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hatta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Kaul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010672:Phenytoin; D012964:Sodium; D013390:Succinylcholine; D011188:Potassium; D014403:Tubocurarine