Effect of pre-treatment with lysine acetyl salicylate on suxamethonium-induced myalgia

The hypothesis that prostaglandin inhibitors might reduce the incidence and severity of suxamethonium-induced myalgia was investigated using lysine acetyl salicylate (LAS) 13 mg kg-1 i.v. 3 min before the administration of suxamethonium in 20 patients. A comparison was made with atracurium 0.09 mg kg-1 (and placebo) in a double-blind prospective randomized trial. LAS and atracurium were effective in reducing the incidence and severity of postsuxamethonium myalgia and the increases in serum potassium concentration. There were no appreciable changes in serum calcium, sodium, chloride, phosphate, magnesium, creatinine, creatine phosphokinase concentrations or plasmacholinesterase activity. Atracurium caused a delay in the onset of action and a decrease in the intensity of suxamethonium-induced neuromuscular block. It is concluded that LAS pretreatment might have a place in suitable patients in the prevention of suxamethonium-induced myalgia and increases in serum potassium concentration.