Pretreatment with remifentanil is associated with less succinylcholine-induced fasciculation.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Succinylcholine is a popular muscle relaxant and one of its most common side effects is muscle fasciculation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of remifentanil in preventing succinylcholine-induced fasciculation in patients undergoing general anesthesia.

METHODS:

In aprospective, double blind study, 60 ASA I & II patients were randomly assigned into two groups (30 each) to receive either remifentanil 1 microg/kg (Group R), or saline 3 ml (Group S) as a pretreatment agent, one minute before induction of general anesthesia by propofol, fentanyl, and 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine. The duration and the intensity of fasciculation were assessed using a four-point rating scale. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U-test, Fisher exact test and Student-t-test using SPSS software.

RESULTS:

In the remifentanil group the duration (p < 0.001) and the intensity (p < 0.001) of fasciculation were lower compared to the saline group. However the incidence of bradycardia was higher in the remifentanil group in comparison to the group which received normal saline.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings indicate that remifentanil can reduce the duration and the intensity of succinylcholine induced fasciculation. However, it induces greater bradycardia.

• Authors: Karim Nasseri, Mehdi Tayebi Arastheh, Shoaleh Shami
• Journal: Middle East journal of anaesthesiology (Middle East J Anaesthesiol) Vol. 20 Issue 4 Pg. 515-9 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 0544-0440 [Print] Lebanon
• PMID: 20394247 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics, Combined
• Anesthetics, Intravenous
• Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents
• Piperidines
• Succinylcholine
• Remifentanil
• Fentanyl
• Propofol

Topics

• Adult
• Anesthesia, General (methods)
• Anesthetics, Combined (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Anesthetics, Intravenous (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Bradycardia (chemically induced)
• Double-Blind Method
• Fasciculation (chemically induced, prevention & control)
• Female
• Fentanyl (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Piperidines (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Propofol (therapeutic use)
• Prospective Studies
• Remifentanil
• Severity of Illness Index
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• Succinylcholine (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Young Adult