Pharmacology of vecuronium in patients with end-stage renal failure

Vecuronium was administered as an intravenous bolus (50 micrograms kg-1) to 10 normal and 10 anephric patients. The elimination half-life was 50.7 +/- 20.3 min in normal patients and 67.826.3 min in anephric patients. The plasma clearance was 3.6 +/- 1.5 ml min-1 for normal patients and 4.5 +/- 2.6 ml min-1 kg-1 for anephric patients. Only the volume of the second compartment was statistically increased (+90%, P less than 0.05) in anephric patients. The duration of action in normal patients (25.3 +/- 9.8 min) was comparable to the duration of action in patients with renal failure (32.8 +/- 10.7 min), but the recovery index was prolonged (+45%, P less than 0.05) in anephric patients.