title: Endocrine, hematological and immunological changes in surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia.
abstract: Some hematological endocrine, and immunological reactions in surgical patients under general anesthesia were studied. While serum cortisol, fT4, T4, rT3 levels increased, TBG, TSH, fT3 and T3 decreased. Cortisol increase and T3 and fT3 decrease were still significant three days after surgery. TSH and T3 decrease was significantly related to cortisol increase. CD4 (helper-inducer) cells dropped, rosettes, CD 5, CD 8, CD 16 (NK) and T HLA-DR (activated) number of cells did not change significantly. The decrease in CD 4 subset was significantly related to cortisol increase. Thus surgery was followed by a reduced thyroid function and decreased CD 4 subset. However this was observed also in the few patients in whom the serum cortisol level did not change. These reactions may represent immunosuppression occurring in the postoperative period.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Endocrinologia, Ospedale Mauriziano-Umberto I, Torino.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Benedetto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merlin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borelli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fadda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fragapane
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varvello
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Voglino
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Filippis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins; D006854:Hydrocortisone