Dose-response effect of serum butyrylcholinesterase activity after clinical doses of pancuronium.
BACKGROUND
Low-dose pancuronium is known to affect serum cholinesterase activity (BChE); however, the dose-response effect of clinical doses of pancuronium on BChE has not been investigated.


METHODS
Thirteen ASA I-II patients scheduled for elective surgery requiring muscle relaxation were enrolled in this study. All patients had normal BChE before surgery. Incremental doses of pancuronium (10, 20, 50, and 100 microg/kg) were injected in accordance with surgical needs every 45 min. BChE was measured 3 min after injection by an automatic colorimetric method.


RESULTS
BChE decreased significantly in all except one patient in comparison to the baseline (P < 0.05). However all values remained within normal clinical range. A dose of 100 microg/kg yielded significant decrease in comparison to 10 microg/kg but not to other dosages. Linear regression was not significant for the dose-response relationship (P = 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
After clinical incremental doses of pancuronium, BChE remained within clinical range.
Motamed
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C
Department of Anesthesia, Hospital Henri Mondor (APHP) and Faculty of Medicine Paris XII, Créteil, France. motamed@igr.fr
Fanen
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P
Feiss
P
P
Kirov
K
K
Duvaldestin
P
P