Hormonal changes induced by etomidate in children during the first 24 postoperative hours

The hormonal effects of an etomidate infusion were assessed postoperatively in children undergoing hypospadias or clubfoot repair. The study was carried out in 12 children, aged between 9 and 70 months, randomly assigned to two equal groups. The anaesthetic protocol was identical for all the childre...

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Published inAnnales françaises d'anesthésie et de réanimation Vol. 8; no. 2; p. 102
Main Authors Murat, I, Estève, C, Delleur, M M, Bougnères, P, Saint-Maurice, C
Format Journal Article
LanguageFrench
Published France 1989
Subjects
Adrenal Cortex Hormones - blood
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Anesthesia, Epidural
Anesthesia, General
Child, Preschool
Clinical Trials as Topic
Drug Administration Schedule
Etomidate
Humans
Infant
Infusions, Intravenous
Postoperative Period
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Summary:The hormonal effects of an etomidate infusion were assessed postoperatively in children undergoing hypospadias or clubfoot repair. The study was carried out in 12 children, aged between 9 and 70 months, randomly assigned to two equal groups. The anaesthetic protocol was identical for all the children, consisting in a light general anaesthesia (halothane induction, intubation after 60 to 80 micrograms.kg-1 vecuronium) combined with lumbar epidural anaesthesia (initial dose of 0.75 ml.kg-1 bupivacaine with adrenaline, with repeat injections of half the previous dose when there was a change in the haemodynamic parameters suggesting inadequate analgesia). Anaesthetic maintenance was different in both groups: 1 to 1.5 vol% enflurane in a nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture (1/1 v/v) in the control group, and 16.8 +/- 3.0 mg.kg-1.min-1 etomidate infusion in the etomidate group. Venous blood samples were collected after induction of anesthesia (before starting the epidural anaesthesia and the etomidate infusion), at the end of surgery (H0), at the 3rd (H3), 6th (H6), 12th (H12) and 24th h (H24) following surgery. The following hormonal blood concentrations were measured: cortisol, 11 beta-desoxycortisol, aldosterone, 11 beta-desoxycorticosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and DHA sulphate (DHA-S). In the control group, cortisol and DHA-S concentrations decreased significantly at H0, aldosterone levels also being significantly lower at H24. In the etomidate group, cortisol concentrations remained significantly lower at H0, H3 and H6; aldosterone concentrations were also significantly lower than control values throughout the study period. There was an important prolonged rise in the concentrations of their precursors. DHA and DHA-S concentrations did not change in the etomidate group.
ISSN:0750-7658