Relationship between volume of distribution of atracurium and body weight

We have determined the central and steady state volumes of distribution of atracurium 0.25 mg kg-1 in 41 healthy adult patients. Volume of distribution, corrected for body weight (ml kg-1); correlated negatively with body weight (r = -0.612 for central volume of distribution; r = -0.737 for the steady state volume of distribution). When expressed as an absolute volume, neither central nor steady state volume of distribution correlated significantly with body weight (r = 0.120 and r = 0.131, respectively). These data cast doubt upon the necessity for the dose of atracurium to be related to body weight in the healthy adult population.