title: Antagonism of pancuronium- and pipecuronium-induced neuromuscular block.
abstract: We have compared the antagonism of neuromuscular block produced by pipecuronium with pancuronium in 80 anaesthetized surgical patients using mechanomyography and electromyography. Pancuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 or pipecuronium 0.07 mg kg-1 was given after induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular block was adjusted to 75% twitch depression at the time of antagonism. The following regimens were used: edrophonium 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg-1, neostigmine 0.04 mg kg-1, pyridostigmine 0.3 mg kg-1 and edrophonium 0.25 mg kg-1 with pyridostigmine 0.15 mg kg-1. Antagonism was evaluated also by the head lift test. There was no difference between the reversibility of neuromuscular block produced by pancuronium or pipecuronium. Edrophonium produced a significantly faster antagonism than neostigmine or pyridostigmine but onset of action was not significantly faster than that of edrophonium with pyridostigmine. All regimens produced 100% (or near 100%) antagonism of twitch response within 15 min. However, TOF fade antagonism was more complete with pyridostigmine, neostigmine and edrophonium 1.0 mg kg-1 than with edrophonium 0.5 mg kg-1. The head lift test indicated somewhat less antagonism with edrophonium 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg-1. Using five monitoring methods, the rank order of reversal potency was: pyridostigmine approximately neostigmine > edrophonium 1.0 mg kg-1 > edrophonium+pyridostigmine > edrophonium 0.5 mg kg-1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance 90222, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gyermek
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Cantley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004491:Edrophonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009407:Nerve Block; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D017300:Pipecuronium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017300:Pipecuronium; D009388:Neostigmine; D004491:Edrophonium; D010197:Pancuronium; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide