Plasma cortisol and elective cataract surgery.
Plasma cortisol was measured before and after elective cataract surgery in 19 patients given local anesthesia and in 11 patients given general anesthesia. In eight patients control plasma cortisols were measured at times corresponding to the surgical determinations. These eight patients demonstrated the circadian pattern of a fall in plasma cortisol. Only seven (37%) of 19 patients given local anesthesia failed to demonstrate the four-hour decrease in plasma cortisol (4-hr. p.o./8 A.M.0 greater than or equal to 0.80) following surgery, but this occurred in ten (91%) of 11 patients under general anesthesia (P less than .005). The 8:00 A.M. value was increased on the first postoperative day (8 A.M.1/8 A.M.0 greater than or equal to 1.37) in five (26%) of 19 patients given local anesthesia, but this occurred in 8 (73%) of 11 patients undergoing general anesthesia (P less than .025). The cortisol response to cataract surgery was significantly both more frequent and of greater magnitude in those patients undergoing general anesthesia.
D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000772:Anesthesia, Local; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
D006854:Hydrocortisone