title: The armlift test. An alternative to the headlift test for assessing recovery from neuromuscular blockade.
abstract: The armlift test was assessed as an alternative to the headlift test for recovery from neuromuscular blockade. Forty comparisons of inspiratory force, duration of arm-lift and duration of headlift were performed in 27 intubated patients after anaesthesia, which included the use of non-depolarising neuromuscular blockade. Patients' ability to keep one arm raised (with the elbow clear of the bed) correlated well with inspiratory force (r = 0.67). All patients capable of an armlift duration of 45 seconds or more were also found to have an inspiratory force of at least -2.5 kPa and were safely extubated. The headlift test was found to be less discerning (r = 0.34) and of 40 determinations of headlift and inspiratory force there were 18 false negatives and two false positives.
authors.forename: Z G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Bar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000494:pharmacology; D011187:Posture; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009388:Neostigmine; D010197:Pancuronium