title: Clinical pharmacology of atracurium in paediatric patients.
abstract: The potency of atracurium was determined in adolescents and children during nitrous oxide-halothane and nitrous oxide-thiopentone-fentanyl anaesthesia using single dose-response curves. Dose-response curves were parallel. The effective doses producing 95% twitch depression (ED95) (mg kg-1) during nitrous oxide-halothane were larger in younger children than in the adolescents. Halothane (0.8% end-tidal) did not significantly potentiate atracurium when compared with thiopentone-fentanyl. On a microgram m-2 basis there was no difference in the ED95 between patients of different age or those anaesthetized with different techniques. At approximately 95% twitch depression intubating conditions were excellent in all groups. Minimal cardiovascular effects were noted at several multiples of the ED95.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001279:Atracurium; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D010372:Pediatrics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D001279:Atracurium