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Phenytoin reduces suxamethonium‐induced myalgia
Author(s) -
HATTA V.,
SAXENA A.,
KAUL H. L.
Publication year - 1992
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.1365-2044.1992.tb02386.x
Subject(s) - myalgia , fasciculation , medicine , phenytoin , anesthesia , prospective cohort study , epilepsy , psychiatry
Summary A prospective, randomised trial was undertaken in 60 healthy adults to determine the efficacy of intravenously administered phenytoin in doses of 5 mg.kg −1 for the prevention of suxamethonium‐induced fasciculations, a rise in serum K + and myalgia. This was compared with tubocurarine pretreatment and no pretreatment (control group). Phenytoin pretreatment significantly reduced myalgia from 45% (nine patients) in the control group to 10% (two patients) (p < 0.05). It also decreased the duration and mean intensity of fasciculations. Incidentally, phenytoin was also found to decrease significantly mean serum Na + levels (p < 0.001) both at 5 and 20 min after administration. Tubocurarine pretreatment (3 mg) resulted in a significant decrease in fasciculations, but myalgia, which occurred in five patients, remained the same. No significant correlation was found between muscle fasciculations, postoperative myalgia and K + changes, but patients with myalgia had a significant decrease in mean serum Na + levels at 5 and 20 min after suxamethonium (p < 0.01).