title: [Effect of epidural anesthesia on the function of hormonal regulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis].
abstract: To evaluate the effects of epidural anesthesia on the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, we examined the concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone (T). The effects of epidural anesthesia on plasma levels of LH, FSH and T were investigated in 8 men aged from 64 to 87 years, suffering from untreated prostate cancer. There were no significant differences in plasma levels of LH, FSH or T between patients under epidural anesthesia and patients under no anesthesia. The effects of epidural anesthesia on plasma levels of LH, FSH and T after LH releasing hormone (LH-RH) administration were studied in 10 men between 65 and 84 years with diagnoses of untreated prostate cancer. Plasma LH and FSH levels increased significantly after LH-RH administration under epidural anesthesia or no anesthesia. Plasma LH and FSH were lower under epidural anesthesia than under no anesthesia. No change in plasma T level was observed after LH-RH administration under epidural anesthesia. We conclude that there is no effect of epidural anesthesia on the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosoyamada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013737:Testis / Q000503:physiopathology*