title: Post-tetanic count and train-of-four responses during neuromuscular block produced by vecuronium and infusion of nicardipine.
abstract: We have examined onset and recovery of neuromuscular block produced by vecuronium using either post-tetanic count (PTC), or the first twitch of the train-of-four (TOF) (T1/T0) and TOF ratio (T4/T1) during continuous infusion of nicardipine. Sixty adult patients were allocated to one of four groups of 15 patients each: nicardipine-PTC, nicardipine-TOF, control-PTC and control-TOF. In the nicardipine-PTC and nicardipine-TOF groups, nicardipine 0.03 mg kg-1 was given before vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 and a continuous infusion of nicardipine was started immediately at a rate of 2 micrograms kg-1 min-1. Mean time from administration of vecuronium to onset of neuromuscular block in the nicardipine-PTC and nicardipine-TOF groups was significantly shorter than in the control-PTC and control-TOF groups (166 (SD 39) vs 220 (28) s; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in recovery of PTC between the nicardipine-PTC and control-PTC groups or in recovery of TOF ratio in the nicardipine-TOF and control-TOF groups. However, during recovery, T1/T0 in the nicardipine-TOF group was significantly less than that in the control-TOF group, 60-100 min after administration of vecuronium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Toride Kyodo General Hospital, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Narumi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujii
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D019148:Neuromuscular Blockade; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide; D009529:Nicardipine