title: Attenuation of a rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block in patients receiving prednisolone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study tested the influence of continuous medication (more than 4 weeks) with prednisolone on a rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block.
  
  
  METHODS
  The time course of a rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade (0.3 mg/kg) was investigated in 40 patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease undergoing elective abdominal surgery. The primary end point was the time from the start of injection of rocuronium until recovery of the TOF ratio to 0.9. Twenty patients received continuous medication with prednisolone (group A), and 20 were without glucocorticoid medication (group B). Additionally, another 20 patients without inflammatory bowel disease and without glucocorticoid medication served as control (group C).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The onset time was prolonged in group A [253 (51.2) s] compared with group B [187 (61.3) s]. Twitch height at the onset of the block was higher in group A [16.5 (0-61)%] than that in group B [5.0 (0-33)%]. The duration to 25% twitch height was shorter in group A [12.6 (0-20.7) min] compared with group B [16.7 (0-25.3) min] and group C [16.9 (0-29.3) min]. The recovery to a train-of-four ratio of 0.9 was reduced in group A [25.7 (23-34.3) min] compared with group B [34.7 (32.7-44.2) min] and group C [36.5 (31.7-42.3) min].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prednisolone treatment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease is associated with a delayed onset and a shorter duration of action of rocuronium. The presence of an inflammatory bowel disease did not influence the neuromuscular block.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Hospital Leverkusen, Am Gesundheitspark 11, Leverkusen, Germany. soltesz@klinikum-lev.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soltész
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mencke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stunz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diefenbach
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ziegeler
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Molter