Endogenous opioid activity in clinical hemorrhagic shock.
Plasma beta-endorphin, cortisol and total opioid-like activities were measured upon arrival at the hospital in ten patients with extensive trauma and in a state of shock and 11 patients with minor injury. Patients in a state of shock had significantly (p less than 0.01) higher mean plasma beta-endorphin immunoreactivity than patients with minor trauma (128.8 +/- 24.8 picomolars versus 31.7 +/- 5.6 picomolars). There were no significant intergroup differences in the mean plasma cortisol concentration (27.7 +/- 4.7 micrograms per deciliter versus 20.6 +/- 2.7 micrograms per deciliter) or opioid ligand activity (2.28 +/- 0.62 nanomolars versus 3.17 +/- 0.99 nanomolars). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that certain endogenous opioids may be physiopathologic factors in hemorrhagic shock but provide no proof of a cause and effect relationship.
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004723:Endorphins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012771:Shock, Hemorrhagic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014193:Trauma Centers; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
D004723:Endorphins; D006854:Hydrocortisone