Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Variable designs of clinical trials of neuromuscular blocking agents: an example of studies comparing rocuronium and vecuronium.
Published clinical trials on neuromuscular blocking (NMB) agents are being reported with large variations in their protocols and conflictiing results may emerge from these differences. Because they have been compared in several clinical trials, the study was focused on rocuronium and vecuronium in order to evaluate whether these NMB agents were compared under homogeneous conditions. MATERIAL/ METHOD: A search was made in PubMed, Embase Drugs and Pharmacology, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Studies on the neuromuscular response at the adductor pollicis to an i.v. bolus dose of rocuronium or vecuronium in humans were included. Quality of all reports was assessed by means of the 3-item Jadad et al. scale. Twenty-five studies met our inclusion criteria and all were retrieved. ⋯ Clinical trials on neuromuscular blocking agents, e.g. vecuronium versus rocuronium, are being performed with large variability and without following established guidelines.