title: Anaphylactoid reaction to alcuronium.
abstract: A 67-year-old woman suffered cardiovascular collapse during induction of anaesthesia. This was later shown to be anaphylactic in origin; the causative agent was alcuronium. In vitro testing showed a highly specific sensitivity to alcuronium with minimal cross-reactivity. Future anaesthesia with decreased risk was thereby assured. The clinical nature of this reaction and a review of the literature implicate the cardiovascular system as the principal target in this type of reaction to alcuronium and suggest that the heart is directly involved.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000443:Alcuronium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D014117:Toxiferine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D014117:Toxiferine; D000443:Alcuronium