Spontaneous movements, local reactions and pain on injection of rocuronium. A comparison between female and male patients.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the incidence of withdrawal, local reactions and pain on injection of rocuronium in 120 adult ASA I-II patients undergoing general anaesthesia (group A: 60 male patients, group B: 60 female patients).
METHODS: After induction of anaesthesia with propofol and remifentanil, rocuronium 0.6 mg kg(-1) was injected in a separate intravenous cannula on the opposite arm. The patient's response to the injection of rocuronium was graded using a four-point scale. The appearance of local signs (i.e. erythema, venous sequelae) on the arm where rocuronium had been injected was recorded at the end of the injection as well as 1 h and 24 h after recovery from anaesthesia. Moreover, patients were asked 24 h after recovery from anaesthesia whether they had recall of pain or movements in this arm during induction of anaesthesia.
RESULTS: In 26 of the 120 patients (22%) included, withdrawal reactions after injection of rocuronium were observed. Of these 26 patients, 16 (13%) had severe movements. The overall incidence of withdrawal reactions after rocuronium as well as the incidence of severe reactions was significantly higher in female patients compared to male patients (overall incidence: 18 females (30%) vs. 8 males (13%), P<0.05; severe reaction: 13 females (22%) vs. 3 males (5%), P<0.05). No local reactions were observed and no patient remembered any pain or movements during induction of anaesthesia.
CONCLUSION: The incidence and the degree of withdrawal reactions in response to the injection of rocuronium were significantly higher in women than in men. This was not associated with adverse clinical consequences for the patient's outcome.