Effects of sevoflurane on neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium in female and male patients

Objective To determine the effect of gender on neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium with or without the presence of sevoflurane.MethodsSixty female and sixty male ASA Ⅰ or Ⅱ patients aged 20-60 yr for elective surgery were assigned into four groups(n=30 each):propoful male group(PM),propoful female group(PF),sevoflurane male group(SM),and sevoflurane female group(SF).All patients were anesthetized with midazolam,propoful and fentanyl.After loss of consciousness laryngeal airway mask was placed.Anesthesia was maintained with propofol or sevoflurane.Propofol was infused at the target concentration of 2-6 μg/ml,and rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg was injected 5 min later.In sevoflurane group,anesthesia was maintained with 1MAC of sevoflurane.Rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg was injected when end-tidal concentrion of sevoflurane reached 1.71%.Neuromuscular blockade was assessed by train-of-four(TOF).The onset time,total blockade time,and the time when T1 recovered to 25% and TOF recovered to 25% were recorded.ResultsThe onset time of rocuronium was longer,while the total blockade time and the time when T1 recovered to 25% and TOF recovered to 25% were shorter in PM group than those in PF group(P0.05).The time when TOF recovered to 25% was longer in SF group than PF group(P0.05).The onset time of rocuronium was shorter,while the total blockade time and the time when T1 recovered to 25% and TOF recovered to 25% were longer in SM group than those in SM group(P0.05).The time when T1 recovered to 25% and TOF recovered to 25% was longer in SM group than SF group(P0.05).ConclusionThe onset time of rocuronium was shorter and the duration was longer in female patients than those in male patient.Sevoflurane has a more significant synergistic effect on rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in male patients than female patient.