title: Dose-response and time-course of effect of rocuronium bromide in paediatric patients.
abstract: We determined dose-response curves and spontaneous recovery of neuromuscular function following a single ED95 dose of rocuronium in 10 infants (1-11 months old), 20 children (2-12 years old) and 20 adults (20-40 years old) during nitrous oxide-oxygen-thiopentone-alfentanil anaesthesia. Neuromuscular block was recorded as adductor pollicis EMG following a supramaximal train-of-four ulnar nerve stimuli at 10 s intervals. ED95 values were significantly less for infants than for children or adults (255 +/- 62, 402 +/- 68 and 350 +/- 78 micrograms kg-1, respectively, P = 0.0001). Time-course of recovery from an average 94% neuromuscular block was similar in all age groups with a 25-75% recovery time of 6.5 +/- 1.8, 5.7 +/- 1.8 and 6.7 +/- 1.6 min in infants, children and adults, respectively. Thus, rocuronium is an intermediate-acting muscle relaxant in all age groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Children's Hospital University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Meretoja
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taivainen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erkola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rautoma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juvakoski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000732:Androstanols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000758:Anesthesia; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004576:Electromyography / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D000077123:Rocuronium; D014459:Ulnar Nerve / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000732:Androstanols; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D000077123:Rocuronium