title: Reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade by pyridostigmine in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and safety of pyridostigmine for the reversal of a neuromuscular block (NMB) in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). In patients with DMD recovery from a rocuronium-induced NMB is markedly delayed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen DMD patients (aged between 11 and 19 years) scheduled for elective scoliosis repair were studied. Following tracheal intubation without muscle relaxant, all patients received a single dose of rocuronium 0.6 mg.kg(-1). NMB was monitored by acceleromyography at the adductor pollicis muscle. When the first twitch height (T1) of the train-of-four (TOF) had recovered to 25% seven patients received either pyridostigmine 0.1 mg.kg(-1) (the anticholinergic drug with a long duration of action) or saline in a blinded manner. The times to attain TOF ratio of 0.9 were recorded. For comparison the Mann-Whitney U-test was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recovery to TOF ratio of 0.9 was significantly (P < 0.05) accelerated by pyridostigmine [84 (median), 57-141(range)] compared with controls (148, 84-243 min). The recovery time (time between T1 of 25% and TOF of 90%) was also significantly (P < 0.01) shortened by pyridostigmine (15, 8-49 vs 76, 43-144 min, respectively). Time to recovery of T(1) to 90% was not different between the groups (108, 63-134 vs 169. 61-208 min, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pyridostigmine 0.1 mg.kg(-1) effectively reversed a rocuronium-induced NMB in DMD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Tino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muenster
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goerlitz
authors.forename: Hubert J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000732:Androstanols / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D002648:Child; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019148:Neuromuscular Blockade; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077123:Rocuronium; D013997:Time Factors; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
chemical_list: D000732:Androstanols; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide; D000077123:Rocuronium