title: How much are patients willing to pay to avoid postoperative muscle pain associated with succinylcholine?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how much money patients are willing to pay to avoid postoperative muscle pains associated with succinylcholine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study with survey instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated metropolitan hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight adult patients, 43 men and 45 women, who were scheduled to undergo surgery with general anesthesia and who completed a preoperative questionnaire (median age range, 41-50 y; median income, US$45,000-60,000).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients completed a computerized, interactive questionnaire preoperatively. They were asked about demographics and previous experiences with muscle pain and postoperative myalgia. With the use of the willingness-to-pay model, the value that they would be willing to pay for a hypothetical muscle relaxant that avoided postoperative myalgia was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-nine percent of patients considered avoiding postoperative myalgia as important. Patients were willing to pay a median (interquartile range) of $33 ($19-$50) out of pocket for a muscle relaxant that was not associated with postoperative myalgia, a figure that increased to $40 if the insurance company paid for the drug (P < 0.0001). Willingness to pay was influenced by patients' income but not by prior experience with postoperative myalgia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients consider avoidance of postoperative myalgia important and are willing to pay $33 out of pocket for a muscle relaxant that is not associated with this side effect.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3094, Durham, NC 27710, USA. ticka98@btinternet.com
authors: Terrence K
authors: TK
authors: Allen
authors: Ashraf S
authors: AS
authors: Habib
authors: Guy L
authors: GL
authors: Dear
authors: William
authors: W
authors: White
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Lubarsky
authors: Tong J
authors: TJ
authors: Gan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005382:Financing, Personal; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000191:economics*; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D009657:North Carolina; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D026712:Value of Life / Q000191:economics
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D013390:Succinylcholine