title: A comparison of the clinical duration and recovery characteristics of cisatracurium after priming using rocuronium or cisatracurium: preliminary study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The priming technique can speed up the onset of cisatracurium during intubation. However, there have been no reports on the effect of the priming technique on duration or recovery profile of cisatracurium. Therefore, we attempted to determine whether or not a priming technique with rocuronium or cisatracurium can affect clinical duration or recovery profiles of cisatracurium.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 36 patients, ASA I and II, who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery, were enrolled. The patients were randomized into three groups and administered different drugs for the priming technique. Patients in group 1 received normal saline (control group). Patients in group 2 received rocuronium (0.06 mg/kg), and those in group 3 received cisatracurium (0.01 mg/kg) as a priming agent. Three minutes after injection of drugs, intubation doses of cisatracurium were administered (Group 1, 0.15 mg/kg; Groups 2 and 3, 0.14 mg/kg). Anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol and remifentanil. Onset time, clinical duration, recovery index, recovery time, and total recovery time were measured by train of four monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Onset time in the group 2 was significantly shorter than that of group 1 or 3 (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in clinical duration, recovery index, recovery time, and total recovery time were observed among the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Priming with rocuronium for 3 minutes resulted in significantly accelerated onset of cisatracurium. However, it did not affect the clinical duration and recovery profiles of cisatracurium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Tong Kyu
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Hun
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: An
keywords: Cisatracurium; Neuromuscular monitoring; Recovery of function; Rocuronium