Muscle weakness after muscle relaxants: An audit of clinical practice

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dc.contributor.authorAlkhazrajy, W.
dc.contributor.authorKhorasanee, A.
dc.contributor.authorRussell, W.
dc.date.issued2004
dc.descriptionPublisher's copy made available with the permission of the publisher © Australian Society of Anaesthetists
dc.description.abstractResidual muscle weakness after general anaesthesia, assessed using handgrip strength, was audited in a teaching hospital. The relationships between residual weakness, the use of muscle relaxants and patient characteristics were examined. Handgrip strength was measured preoperatively, one hour postoperatively and one day postoperatively using a hand dynamometer in 151 patients having general anaesthesia. Forty-nine patients received no muscle relaxant, 34 patients received vecuronium and 68 received rocuronium. Patients were managed by their anaesthetist according to that anaesthetist’s clinical choice. All patients who received muscle relaxants received neostigmine. One hour postoperatively, there was a decline in handgrip strength of 16% for the no relaxant group, 24% for vecuronium and 29% for rocuronium. The degree of weakness for the relaxant groups was unrelated to age (P=0.89) but was strongly influenced by the patient’s sex. Almost all of the increased weakness with relaxants was found in the female patients. The mean decline in handgrip strength in the male patients who received either vecuronium or rocuronium was similar to that seen when relaxants had not been used (P=0.40). One hour postoperatively, female patients showed a marked decrease in handgrip strength after both vecuronium and rocuronium (32% and 34% respectively, combined P=0.01). These results suggest that in usual clinical practice at our institution, female patients are more likely to have residual weakness after muscle relaxants.
dc.description.urihttp://www.aaic.net.au/Article.asp?D=2003117
dc.identifier.citationAnaesthesia and Intensive Care, 2004; 32(2):256-259
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/0310057x0403200216
dc.identifier.issn0310-057X
dc.identifier.issn1448-0271
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/5904
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAustralian Soc Anaesthetists
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1177/0310057x0403200216
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectMuscle Weakness
dc.subjectNeostigmine
dc.subjectAndrostanols
dc.subjectVecuronium Bromide
dc.subjectCholinesterase Inhibitors
dc.subjectNeuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents
dc.subjectHand Strength
dc.subjectAnesthesia, General
dc.subjectPostoperative Period
dc.subjectRisk
dc.subjectAge Factors
dc.subjectSex Factors
dc.subjectTime Factors
dc.subjectMedical Audit
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.subjectRocuronium
dc.titleMuscle weakness after muscle relaxants: An audit of clinical practice
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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