Neonatal serum cortisol suppression by etomidate compared with thiopentone, for elective caesarean section

Neonatal serum cortisol responses to the administration of i.v. etomidate (0.3 mg kg-1) and thiopentone (4 mg kg-1) were studied in 22 healthy patients (n = 11 in each group) undergoing elective caesarean section. No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in the serum cortisol levels in the umbilical vein blood at delivery. However, values of serum cortisol in the heel prick samples taken 1 h after delivery showed statistically significant lower levels in the etomidate group (P less than 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical status of the two groups of babies.