Korean J Anesthesiol.  2000 Nov;39(5):673-678. 10.4097/kjae.2000.39.5.673.

The Effects of Anesthetic Techniques and Postoperative Pain Control on the Response of the Stress and Immune System in Cesarean Section Patients

• Kim DY
• Han JI

• KMID: 2031636
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2000.39.5.673

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Surgical trauma may affect the host immune system. We have examined the time course of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cortisol in patients undergoing a cesarean section (c/s) to determine if the anesthetic techniques and postoperative pain control have an effect on the response of the stress and immune system. METHODS: Thirty healthy women undergoing c/s were randomly allocated to three groups. Group I (n = 10) was provided with general anesthesia, group II (n = 10) with epidural anesthesia and group III (n = 10) with epidural anesthesia plus continuous epidural analgesia for postoperative pain control. Blood samplings for IL-6 and cortisol were conducted 4 times in all patients: preoperation, 1 h, 3 h and 24 h after skin incision. RESULTS: The mean concentrations of IL-6 were significantly increased in all three groups at 3 h and 24 h after the skin incision, but there were no significant differences among the three groups. The mean concentrations of cortisol were significantly increased in three groups at 1 h and 3 h after the skin incision, but there were no significant differences among the three groups. CONCLSIONS: No significant differences among three groups were seen. Thus, We couldn't determine that anesthetic techniques and postoperative pain control had a significant effect on the response of the stress and immune system.

Keyword

Analgesia: postoperative; Anesthetic techniques: epidural; general; Hormones: cortisol; Immune response: cytokines; Surgery: cesarean section

MeSH Terms

Analgesia, Epidural
Anesthesia, Epidural
Anesthesia, General
Cesarean Section*
Female
Humans
Hydrocortisone
Immune System*
Interleukin-6
Pain, Postoperative*
Pregnancy
Skin
Hydrocortisone
Interleukin-6