Evaluation of the onset time and intubation conditions of rocuronium bromide in children

We have assessed, in children aged three to eight years, the intubating conditions after administration of rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg at 50 or 60 seconds, in groups of 15 patients. Intubating conditions were excellent in 11, good in 3 and fair in 1 patient at 50 seconds and excellent in 12 and good in 3 patients at 60 seconds. The mean onset time, for all patients, to when the first twitch of the train of four (T1), measured at the adductor pollicis, was depressed to less than 30% and 5% of control was 50 (SD 11.4) seconds and 94 (SD 31.7) seconds respectively. Depression of T1 to less than 30% of control, measured at the adductor pollicis in children, appears to indicate that intubating conditions will be clinically acceptable when using rocuronium.