Relationship between first-twitch depression and train-of-four ratio during sugammadex reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade

BACKGROUND: The primary outcome of sugammadex reversal for rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block (NMB) is a train-of-four ratio (TOFR) of 0.9, not first twitch (T(1)) height. We investigated whether the recovery of TOFR or T(1) differs based on the reversal of NMB with neostigmine or sugammadex. METHODS: The acceleromyographic responses from 0.6 mg/kg of rocuronium were monitored supramaximally in 80 patients after induction of anesthesia. The TOFR and T(1) height were recorded, and saved in a personal computer using TOF-Watch SX Monitor software in all patients. Patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups to receive either neostigmine 50 µg/kg with glycopyrrolate 10 µg/kg (neostigmine group, n = 40) or sugammadex 2.0 mg/kg (sugammadex group, n = 40). The primary objective was to determine the difference of recovery time between TOFR to 0.9 and T(1) to 0.9 after sugammadex or neostigmine administration during moderate rocuronium-induced NMB. RESULTS: The recovery pattern of the TOFR 2 min after sugammadex administration was 1.0 or more, but that of T(1) was less than 90% (T(1) / control value) up to 6 min after drug was injected. The recovery pattern of TOFR and T(1) was similar during the 20 min after reversal with neostigmine. CONCLUSIONS: If you have not performed the T(1) monitoring, both TOFR and T(1) should be considered to confirm suitable recovery during the 6 min after reversal with sugammadex during rocuronium-induced moderate NMB.