Effect of Concurrent Lidocaine, Remifentanil and Methylprednisolone Use on the Clinical Effect of Sugammadex under General Anaesthesia in Rats.

Objective: In an study, lidocaine, remifentanil and methylprednisolone produced inclusion complexes with sugammadex, which lead to a decrease in free and active concentrations of sugammadex. When used concurrently with these drugs, it is likely that the time for sugammadex to reverse a neuromuscular blockade is going to be prolonged due to a synergistic pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interaction. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether concurrent use of sugammadex with remifentanil, lidocaine and methylprednisolone led to a decrease in the neuromuscular blockade reversal effect of sugammadex produced with neuromuscular blockade agent (NMBA) rocuronium.

Methods: The present study included 42 male Wistar rats. They were randomised into 7 groups, with 6 rats per group. The first group was the control group, the second group received remifentanil and methylprednisolone, the third lidocaine and methylprednisolone, the fourth remifentanil, the fifth lidocaine, the sixth methylprednisolone and the seventh lidocaine and remifentanil. All groups were administered 3.2 mg kg rocuronium for neuromuscular blockade after the administration of study drugs. When the train of four (TOF) value was 0, all groups were administered 16 mg kg sugammadex for the reversal of neuromuscular blockade. With a TOF Watch SX device, the time to TOF ≥0.9 was recorded.

Results: When the control group was compared with Groups 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, no statistically significant difference was found. However, in Group 2, time to TOF ≥0.9 was prolonged significantly when compared with the control group.

Conclusion: We suggest that remifentanil and methylprednisolone used concurrently with sugammadex lead to a decrease in sugammadex reversal effect by giving rise to decrease in its free and active concentrations probably via displacement in rats.