Table 4.

Concentrations^a of neuromuscular blocking drugs used for skin testing

Neuromuscular blocking drug	Skin prick testb concentration mg/ml	Intradermal testc concentration µg/ml
Succinylcholine	10	100
Rocuroniumd	10	50
Vecuroniumd	4	40e
Pancuronium	2	20e
Atracurium	1	10
Cisatracurium	2	20c
Mivacurium	0.2	2

Positive control for prick test: Histamine 10 mg/ml or codeine phosphate 9% w/v. Negative control for prick and intradermal tests: Same volume of solvent used for drugs

^aMaximum nonirritative concentrations normally non-reactive in subjects not allergic to a neuromuscular blocking drug

^bA positive test is a wheal after 20 min with a diameter 3 mm greater than the negative control or a diameter at least half the diameter of the positive control

^c0 02 – 0.05 ml injected to give a 4 mm diameter bleb. A positive test is the appearance of an erythematous wheal (often pruritic) after 20 min with a diameter at least twice that of the initial bleb

^dA high proportion of positive reactions in normal controls has led to suggestions that these prick test concentrations are too high

^eSome published maximums for vecuronium and pancuronium are 400 μ g and 200 μg, respectively. See also, [74, 75]