Intubating conditions after three different doses of rocuronium in the elderly

This randomized controlled trial study evaluated the intubating conditions at 1 minute after 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium in 60 Thai elderly patients who enrolled for elective surgery under general anesthesia with fentanyl, thiopental and halothane at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Excellent or good conditions were observed in 50 per cent (p<0.05) at rocuronium 0.3 mg/kg, compared with 95 and 85 per cent at 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg of rocuronium, respectively but the excellent conditions were 5 (p<0.05), 30 and 45 per cent from each dose. Therefore, rocuronium 0.6 or 0.9 mg/kg should be adequate for intubation in elective, elderly patients but was inadequate for emergency case. In addition, rocuronium 0.3 mg/kg is insufficient for intubation at 1 minute in this age group. No serious side effects of the drug nor complications were found in this study.