Serum potassium and sodium levels following intravenous suxamethonium in pediatric dental anesthesia

Abstract

The effects of rectally administered midazolam (.35 mg/kg), diazepam (.70 mg/kg), and placebo used as preanesthetic medications on serum levels of potassium after intravenous suxamethonium in children undergoing dental extractions under halothane anesthesia were examined. Ninety patients between the ages of 2 and 7 years were randomly allocated into three groups in this double-blind parallel study. Blood samples were taken immediately after induction with halothane (Pre-S) and at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 minutes after administration of suxamethonium (Post-S). Serum from these samples was analyzed in duplicate for potassium and sodium and the data analyzed statistically. The results showed that mean serum potassium levels tended to remain higher in the two groups that had received a benzodiazepine than in the controls at 5, 10, and 15 minutes Post-S. Although the increases in plasma potassium differed significantly from Pre-S at the various times within each patient group, no significant intergroup differences could be shown except at the 15 minute Post-S stage, when the mean serum potassium level of the placebo group was significantly closer to its Pre-S value than that of the diazepam group. At all stages Post-S the mean serum sodium levels for each of the three groups showed statistically significant decreases from their Pre-S values. However, no statistically significant intergroup differences could be shown.