The increases in potassium concentrations are greater with succinylcholine than with rocuronium-sugammadex in outpatient surgery: a randomized, multicentre trial.
BACKGROUND
Succinylcholine provides rapid onset of neuromuscular blockade and short duration of action, but its administration may be associated with hyperkalemia. Rocuronium is not known to increase potassium concentration, has fast onset of activity, and can be rapidly reversed by sugammadex. This study evaluated changes in plasma potassium concentrations in patients randomized either to rocuronium followed by sugammadex reversal or to succinylcholine in ambulatory surgery.


METHODS
In this multicentre randomized active-controlled study, adult patients undergoing short surgical procedures in an outpatient setting received either rocuronium 0.6 mg·kg(-1) for intubation with sugammadex 4.0 mg·kg(-1) for reversal (n = 70) or succinylcholine 1.0 mg·kg(-1) with spontaneous recovery (n = 80). Blood potassium concentrations were assessed at baseline (before study drug administration) and at intervals up to 15 min after rocuronium, sugammadex, and succinylcholine.


RESULTS
At the primary endpoint, five minutes post-administration, the changes in potassium concentrations from baseline were significantly smaller in patients treated with rocuronium than in those given succinylcholine [mean (SD): -0.06 (0.32) vs 0.30 (0.34) mmol·L(-1), respectively; P < 0.0001]. At baseline, potassium concentrations were similar in both groups, but they were greater at two, five, ten, and 15 min after succinylcholine than after rocuronium (P < 0.0001) for all time points. After sugammadex administration, there were no significant changes in mean potassium concentration from the pre-rocuronium baseline. No adverse effects related to hyperkalemia were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Succinylcholine was associated with a modest increase in potassium concentration; these changes were not seen after rocuronium or sugammadex (


BACKGROUND
NCT00751179).
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Shadyside Campus, 5230 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA, SaboDP@anes.upmc.edu.
Daniel
D
Sabo
Jonathan
J
Jahr
Janet
J
Pavlin
Beverly
B
Philip
Noriko
N
Shimode
Everton
E
Rowe
Tiffany
T
Woo
Roy
R
Soto
D000328:Adult; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D000732:Androstanols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D000077123:Rocuronium; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000077122:Sugammadex; D013997:Time Factors; D047408:gamma-Cyclodextrins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000732:Androstanols; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D047408:gamma-Cyclodextrins; D000077122:Sugammadex; D013390:Succinylcholine; D011188:Potassium; D000077123:Rocuronium