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Short communication. Etomidate and the osteocalcin response to gynaecological surgery
- Source :
- BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia; September 1999, Vol. 83 Issue: 3 p461-463, 3p
- Publication Year :
- 1999
-
Abstract
- Circulating osteocalcin is a good marker of osteoblastic activity and decreases significantly after stressful physiological states such as major surgery. Glucocorticoids are known to inhibit osteoblastic activity and result in a decline in circulating osteocalcin. We used etomidate to inhibit the cortisol response to routine gynaecological surgery to determine if this would prevent the postoperative decline in osteocalcin. Twenty-four patients were allocated randomly to receive either thiopental or etomidate for induction of anaesthesia; all other aspects of anaesthesia and perioperative management were standardized. In the thiopental group, circulating cortisol increased significantly at 2 and 6 h after the start of surgery and plasma osteocalcin concentrations decreased significantly to almost 50% of baseline values at 48h. Etomidate abolished the cortisol response to surgery, and circulating osteocalcin concentrations did not change after operation. There was a significant difference in osteocalcin concentration between the groups at 48 h. We conclude that the cortisol response to surgery is associated with a postoperative decrease in circulating osteocalcin.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00070912 and 14716771
- Volume :
- 83
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- BJA: British Journal of Anaesthesia
- Publication Type :
- Periodical
- Accession number :
- ejs5235877