[Behavior of the hypophyseal-adrenal cortex system in inhalation and conduction anesthesia. A review with comparative...

The effects of halothane anaesthesia or epidural analgesia on the per- and postoperative change in blood concentrations of ACTH, beta-lipotropin, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, aldosterone, glucose, lactate and free fatty acids were investigated in connection with elective orthopaedic surgery. Anaesthesia in man with halothane and nitrous oxide was found to be associated with a significant increase in plasma ACTH levels and beta-LPH levels. Changes in plasma dehydroepiandrosterone were similar to those in plasma cortisol. The elevation of plasma aldosterone during major surgery could be explained as the effect of an increased renin secretion. However, simultaneous increase in plasma cortisol and plasma aldosterone during surgery reflect an additional effect of adrenocorticotropin upon aldosterone secretion.