A Study of the Pseudocholinesterase in 78 Cases of Apnoea Following Suxamethonium

Abstract

Cholinesterase activities using acetylcholine and benzoylcholine as substrates were measured in 78 unrelated individuals sensitive to suxamethonium. Dibucaine numbers were determined in all cases. Seventy eight of the immediate relatives of 20 of the suxamethonium sensitive individuals have been similarly examined. The suxamethonium sensitive individuals were classified into five distinct genotypes. The percentage distribution was found to be E1aE1u = 32.1; E1uE1a = 12.8; E1aE1a =38.5; EluE1f = 7.7and E1aE1f =9.1. The silent gene was segregating in 3 of the 20 families studied. In all cases the family data agreed with the accepted Mendelian pattern of inheritance basedon4 alleles be longing to one gene locus.