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Anaphylactic‐like reaction to suxamethonium
Author(s) -
ASSEM E.S.K.,
FROST P.G.,
LEVIS R.D.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1981.tb10248.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anaphylactic reaction , histamine , neuromuscular blocking agents , anaphylactic reactions , anesthesia , allergic reaction , in vitro , anaphylaxis , pharmacology , allergy , immunology , biochemistry , chemistry
Summary A young woman developed an anaphylactic‐type reaction during induction of anaesthesia, which was later shown to be due to suxamethonium, to which the patient had not been previously exposed. In vitro testing identified not only suxamethonium as the causative agent, but also other potentially hazardous agents, pharmacologically and chemically related to suxamethonium. Furthermore, ‘unrelated’ neuromuscular blocking drugs elicited no reaction from the patient's leucocytes, suggesting that in future anaesthesia these agents may be used with little risk. The leucocytes of the patient's parents and brother were also tested, the brother showing a minimal positive reaction. Skin testing confirmed the significance of the in vitro histamine release by the patient's leucocytes.