[Influences of age and gender on dose-response and recovery time-course of atracurium].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influences of age and sex on dose-response and recovery time course of atracurium.


METHODS
Seventy-two patients (38 men and 34 women), ASA grade I, aged 15-59 years, scheduled for elective surgery were included in the study. All patients were divided into three groups according to their ages: Group 1, 32 patients aged 15-29 years; Group 2, 21 patients aged 30-40 years, and Group 3, 19 patients aged 41-59 years. General anesthesia was maintained with 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen, thiopentone and fentanyl. Neuromuscular function was assessed by train-of-four(TOF) stimulation of accelerometry and the percentage depression of the first response (T1) of the TOF stimulus was used as the study parameter. The dose-response relations of atracurium were determined by the cumulative dose-response technique.


RESULTS
As compared to older and female patients, dose-response curves of atracurium in young and male patients were shifted in a parallel fashion to the left. The dose-response relation of atracurium correlated closely with patients' ages and sexes by multiple linear regression analysis. There were significant differences of ED50, ED90 and ED95, and clinical duration and total duration of action following administration of atracurium of same doses between the three age groups as well as men and women.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and gender could significantly affect the pharmacodynamics of atracurium.
Xue
F S
FS
Department of Anesthesia, Plastic Surgery Hospital, CAMS, PUMC, Beijing 100041, China.
Liao
X
X
He
N
N
Zhang
Y M
YM
An
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001279:Atracurium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D001279:Atracurium