Influence of a continuous prednisolone medication on the time course of neuromuscular block of atracurium in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
BACKGROUND
Corticosteroids interact with neuromuscular blocking agents. However, experimental data are contradictory: enhancement and attenuation of the neuromuscular block has been observed. This study tested the influence of long-term medication with prednisolone on atracurium-induced neuromuscular block.


METHODS
Sixty patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease undergoing elective abdominal surgery were investigated. Thirty patients received a long-term medication with prednisolone (Group A) and 30 were without corticoid medication (Group B). Additionally, another 30 patients without inflammatory bowel disease and without corticoid medication served as control (Group C). The following parameters of an atracurium-induced neuromuscular block (0.25 mg kg(-1)) were measured: onset time, maximum block, recovery to 25% first twitch height, recovery index (time from 25% until 75% recovery of first twitch), duration to recovery to a train-of-four (TOF) rate of 0.7 and 0.9.


RESULTS
The groups did not differ with regard to onset time, maximum block, and recovery index. The duration to 25% twitch height was significantly lower in Group A [18.1 (0-30.7) min] compared with Group B [23.5 (0-36.7) min; P<0.05]. Duration to a TOF rate of 0.7 and 0.9, respectively, were significantly reduced in Group A [36.1 (7.9) and 40.9 (9.0 min)] compared with Group B [47.9 (7.6) and 53.4 (9.2) min; P<0.001].


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term medication with prednisolone resulted in a shorter duration of an atracurium-induced neuromuscular block in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The presence of the inflammatory bowel disease did not influence the time course of the neuromuscular block.
Soltész
S
S
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Hospital Leverkusen, Am Gesundheitspark 11, D-51375 Leverkusen, Germany. soltesz@klinikum-lev.de
Mencke
T
T
Mey
C
C
Röhrig
S
S
Diefenbach
C
C
Molter
G P
GP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D001279:Atracurium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019148:Neuromuscular Blockade; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D001279:Atracurium; D011239:Prednisolone