title: Acute hyperglycaemic effect of anaesthetic induction with thiopentone.
abstract: The acute effects of thiopentone on plasma glucose concentration and regulation in humans have not been well described. We therefore examined the effect of a single dose (6 mg/kg) of thiopentone on plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, adrenaline and noradrenaline in 16 healthy women undergoing elective abdominal surgery. To assess involvement of the neuroendocrine system in the response to thiopentone, half of the patients received labetalol prior to induction of anaesthesia. Thiopentone injection resulted in a 50% increase in plasma glucose levels (P < 0.001) in both labetalol-treated and non-treated patients 90 s following its administration. This was associated neither with significant increases in plasma glucagon, adrenaline and noradrenaline nor with a decline in plasma insulin. We conclude that acute hyperglycaemia following thiopentone is most likely the consequence of a non-adrenergically-mediated increase in hepatic glucose release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Cornell University Medical College, New York.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shamoon
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Frishman
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007741:Labetalol / Q000494:pharmacology; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010919:Placebos; D013874:Thiopental / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D010919:Placebos; D005934:Glucagon; D013874:Thiopental; D007741:Labetalol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine