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Serum creatine kinase levels after succinylcholine in children with “muscle, eye and brain disease“

Abstract

Four boys belonging to a group of children affected by a rare form of muscular dystrophy with eye and brain involvment, termed the “muscle, eye and brain disease” (MEB), were anaesthetized for various eye examinations and surgery. On some occasions succinylcholine was used during anaesthesia and the initially elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) values increased from a range of 122 to 1200 units·L-1 to a range of 4350 to 9690 units·L-1 22 hours after anaesthesia. CK values after anaesthesia without succinylcholine remained at the initially elevated levels. Rectal temperatures of the children were normal. These findings suggest that succinylcholine should be avoided in patients with MEB disease.

Résumé

Quatre garçons atteints ďune maladie rare comprenant une dystrophie musculaire avec atteinte oculaire et cérébrale “muscle, eye and brain disease” ont été anesthésiés pour des biopsies musculaires, divers examens diagnostiques et des interventions ophtalmologiques. A quatre reprises la succinylcholine fut utilisée lors de ľanesthésie et le taux sérique de la créatine kinase déjà élevé chez ces malades (valeur de 122 à 1200 unités·L-1) a décuplé 22 heures après ľanesthésie (valeur de 4350 à 9690 unités·L-1). Après anesthésie sans succinylcholine le taux de créatine kinase sérique est demeuré inchangé. La température rectale des enfants demeurait normale. Ľaugmentation importante du taux de la créatine kinase sérique indique que la succinylcholine devrait être évitée chez ces malades.

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Karhunen, U. Serum creatine kinase levels after succinylcholine in children with “muscle, eye and brain disease“. Can J Anaesth 35, 90–92 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03010553

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03010553

Key words

  • ENZYMES: creatine kinase
  • MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY: muscle
  • eye and brain disease
  • NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXANTS: succinylcholine