Effect of surgical stress on the erythrocyte insulin receptor

The aim of this study was to investigate whether surgical trauma causes changes in insulin receptors which may have significance on the causation of post-traumatic insulin resistance. Twenty-four patients scheduled for lumbar intervertebral disc operations or thoracotomy were investigated. In patients who did not receive glucose during operation blood glucose and plasma insulin concentrations did not change but lipolysis was induced as indicated by the increase of serum free fatty acids concentration. Glucose infusion (5% w/v) caused a hyperglycaemic and hyperinsulaenemic response without lipolysis. In patients not receiving a glucose load the number of insulin receptors on erythrocyte measured 4 h postoperatively increased from the preoperative values and the affinity of the receptors to insulin in physiological concentration range increased. In patients with glucose load the number of receptors decreased and receptor affinity to insulin at physiological concentration decreased. The results suggest that in patients receiving a glucose load the receptor changes indicate the perioperative development of insulin resistance at receptor level.