JOURNAL HOME CME HOME THIS MONTH PAST ISSUES ETOC COLLECTIONS
AUTHORS REVIEWERS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK RSS HELP
A&A International Anesthesia Research Society
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Anesth Analg 1983; 62:559-564
© 1983 International Anesthesia Research Society
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a colleague
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Fisher, M. McD.
Right arrow Articles by Munro, I.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Fisher, M. McD.
Right arrow Articles by Munro, I.

Life-Threatening Anaphylactoid Reactions to Muscle Relaxants

Malcolm McD. Fisher, MB, ChB, FFARACS, and Ian Munro, BSC(Hons) ANU

Received from the Intensive Therapy Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital, St. Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia.

Abstract

Sixty-seven patients who had life-threatening reactions to muscle relaxant drugs diagnosed by intradermal testing or challenge were studied. Six patients reacted on two occasions; four reacted to different relaxants, There was a significantly greater ratio of female-to-male patients who reacted than in a nonreacting population. Patients who reacted to muscle relaxants had an incidence of allergy, atopy, asthma, and previous reactions to anesthesia that was significantly greater than nonreacting patients, but not greater than patients who had reacted to induction agents. Eighty-five percent of patients who reacted to muscle relaxants had never previously been exposed to the drug, whereas 60% of patients reacting adversely to induction agents had been previously exposed to induction agents. The reactions were not related to additives or preservatives. In spite of a lack of previous exposure, type I hypersensitivity appears the most likely mechanism responsible for life-threatening reactions to muscle relaxants.

Key Words: ALLERGY: neuromuscular relaxants • NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXANTS: allergy




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
D. L. Hepner and M. C. Castells
Anaphylaxis During the Perioperative Period
Anesth. Analg., November 1, 2003; 97(5): 1381 - 1395.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J AnaesthHome page
M. Rose and M. Fisher
Rocuronium: high risk for anaphylaxis?
Br. J. Anaesth., May 1, 2001; 86(5): 678 - 682.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J AnaesthHome page
J. H. Levy, M. Gottge, F. Szlam, R. Zaffer, and C. McCall
Weal and flare responses to intradermal rocuronium and cisatracurium in humans{dagger}
Br. J. Anaesth., December 1, 2000; 85(6): 844 - 849.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
K. W. Toh, S. J. Deacock, and W. J. Fawcett
Severe Anaphylactic Reaction to Cisatracurium
Anesth. Analg., February 1, 1999; 88(2): 462 - 462.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 1983 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.