Rocuronium pretreatment reduces suxamethonium-induced myalgia: comparison with vecuronium.

We have studied, in 150 patients undergoing elective oral surgery, the effectiveness and sequelae of pretreatment with rocuronium for reducing myalgia after suxamethonium. Patients were allocated randomly to one of three groups: anaesthesia was induced with propofol and fentanyl, and group V received vecuronium 1 mg, group R rocuronium 6 mg and group P placebo pretreatment. Suxamethonium 1.5 mg kg-1 was given 60 s after the pretreatment agent. All patients received ketorolac 10 mg i.v. and morphine 10 mg i.m. for analgesia. The incidence of postoperative myalgia on day 1 after rocuronium (20%) was significantly less than after vecuronium (42%) (P < 0.05) or placebo (70%) (P < 0.01). By day 4 the incidence of myalgia was 28.6% in the rocuronium group, 46.3% in the vecuronium group and 95% in the placebo group. Intubating conditions were not affected adversely by any pretreatment regimen.