[Effect of general and epidural anesthesia on autonomic nervous system].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate autonomic nervous tone during general and epidural anesthesia.


METHODS
Thirty-two female patients(ASA grade I-II), scheduled for elective hysterectomy, were randomized to receive epidural anesthesia (group EA, n = 16) or general anesthesia (group GA, n = 16). The changes of HRV were observed with power spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV-PSA) at the following time intervals: immediately pre-anesthesia (T1), 15 min after induction (T2), 1 min after incision (T3), dragging uterus (T4), after removing uterus (T5) and end of surgery (T6).


RESULTS
Patients in group EA demonstrated a significant advance in LF/HF at T4 and descending in LF and HF at T5, T6 to compare with T1, LF, HF and LF/HF remained unchanged at the rest time intervals. In group GA, compared with T1, LF, HF and LF/HF dropped remarkably except for an increase in LF/HF at T6.


CONCLUSIONS
The autonomic nervous tone is inhibited by both epidural and general anesthesia. EA reveals a shift in the sympathovagal balance toward sympathetic predominance. GA is associated with a shift toward parasympathetic predominance intraoperatively, while postoperatively appears a dramatic increase in LF/HF. Relative to EA, there is a greater effect on autonomic nervous system with GA.
Li
Qun
Q
Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China. liqunwill@sina.com
Guan
Lei
L
Jiang
Jianyu
J
D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy