[Comparison of changes in plasma catecholamines between general anesthesia and general anesthesia plus epidural block].
To investigate the stress-response during anesthesia-operation, 16 patients were allocated into either of two groups. Eight cases in Group A underwent an operation on the abdomen under general anesthesia, while the other eight cases in Group B were operated under general anesthesia plus epidural block. Plasma catecholamine levels were measured in all subjects during anesthesia operation procedure. A significant increase in the levels of plasma catecholamines was observed at 45 min after incision in Group A (1.82 +/- 0.48 vs. 0.94 +/- 0.19 ng/ml, P less than 0.05, paired t-test), while no change was seen in Group B during the whole procedure. The result may indicate that an operation on the abdomen rather than general anesthesia itself is responsible for the observed increase in plasma catecholamines level.
Jia
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N
PUMC Hospital, Beijing.
D000328:Adult; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative
D002395:Catecholamines