[Effects of chlordemethyldiazepam on blood cortisol during surgical stress]

The pre-operative plasma cortisol levels in 16 male patients undergoing plastic-reconstructive surgery were studied. 8 patients received chlordesmethyldiazepam 0.1 mg/kg-1 i.v. (group C), 8 sodium thiopental 5 mg/kg-1 i.v. (group T) in anaesthesia induction. All patients were premedicated by diazepam 0.15 mg/kg-1 by mouth 90 min before anaesthesia induction and atropine 0.007 mg/kg-1 i.v. just before induction, and received succinylcholine 1 mg/kg-1 i.v. and an endotracheal tube for mechanically controlled ventilation. Anaesthesia maintenance was assured by isoflurane 0.5-2.5% in a N2O/O2 (2/1) gas mixture. Blood samples were collected from each patient at the following times: 24 h before surgery (t0); 30 min after skin incision (t1); 30 min after extubation (t2). Significant variations of blood cortisol levels have not been shown.