Objective.To determine the relationship between the rate ofrocuronium injection and the onset time of neuromuscular block.
Methods.After intravenous induction, 60 female patients (ASA I–II) wereassigned randomly into 3 groups for rocuronium administration
within1–15, 15–30 or 30–60 seconds. Acceleromyography of the thumbwas performed using train-of-four (TOF) stimulation. Times
to 50% and 90%twitch depression of the first twitch of the TOF stimulation (T1) wererecorded.
Results.Injection time significantly influences time to 50%relaxation, but not time to 90% relaxation. Body mass index is negativelycorrelated
with time to 50% and 90% relaxation.
Conclusions.Weconclude that rate of injection influences only the initial phase ofdevelopment of the block and that slower injection times
do not significantlyaffect time to 90% relaxation at the adductor pollicis muscle.
Neuromuscular relaxants - rocuronium - kinetics - distribution
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.