title: Neuromuscular and cardiovascular effects of doxacurium in children anaesthetized with halothane.
abstract: The neuromuscular and cardiovascular effects of doxacurium chloride (BW A938U) were evaluated in 27 children (2-12 yr) anaesthetized with 1% halothane and nitrous oxide in oxygen. In nine children the incremental technique was used to establish a cumulative dose-response curve by train-of-four stimulation. The remaining children received either 30 or 50 micrograms kg-1 of the drug as a single bolus. The median ED50 and ED95 of doxacurium in children were 19 and 32 micrograms kg-1, respectively. No clinically significant change in heart rate or arterial pressure occurred. Following doxacurium 30 micrograms kg-1 and 50 micrograms kg-1, recovery to 25% of control occurred in 25 (SEM 6) and 44 (3) min, respectively. The recovery index (25-75% of control) was 27 (2) min. The duration of action of doxacurium is similar to that of tubocurarine and dimethyl-tubocurarine in children. Compared with adults, children seem to require more doxacurium (microgram kg-1) to achieve a comparable degree of neuromuscular depression, and they recover more rapidly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Goudsouzian
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Alifimoff
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McNulty
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Savarese
mesh_terms: D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006221:Halothane; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects*; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; C049429:doxacurium; D006221:Halothane