Prevention of succinylcholine-induced myalgia with lidocaine pretreatment.

We studied the effects of 3 mg.kg(-1) lidocaine iv on the succinylcholine (SCh)-induced myalgia in 94 unpremedicated ambulant patients undergoing dilatation and curettage of the uterus. The post-SCh myalgia was confirmed through interview by telephone. The data were correlated with the degree of fasciculation and changes in the serum electrolytes and creatine kinase (CK) levels following SCh administration. Pretreatment with lidocaine, 3 mg.kg(-1) iv, significantly reduced the incidence of myalgia from 40.4% of control group to 12.8% lidocaine-treated group, but not the CK levels. The severity of myalgia was not related to the intensity of fasciculation assessed by visual observation. The pretreatment with lidocaine had no untoward effect on the circulation, although the peak arterial and peak venous lidocaine levels achieved were 29.6 +/- 23 micro g.ml(-1) and 10.1 +/- 3.3 micro g.ml(-1) respectively. These finding indicated that the pretreatment with lidocaine, 3 mg.kg(-1) iv, was effective in prevention of SCh-induced myalgia.