The Response of Human Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone and Growth Hormone to Surgical Stress¹

Abstract

Under general anesthesia, patients undergoing cholecystectomy or inguinal herniorrhaphy demonstrated a rise, as measured by radioimmunoassay, in both HGH and ACTH one hour following the incision; the rise in HGH was not significant, however, in the obese females undergoing cholecystectomy. By contrast, herniorrhaphy under spinal anesthesia evoked no HGH or ACTH rise. The changes in HGH appear to be independent of blood sugar concentrations. It is concluded that the stimulation of ACTH and HGH during stress is mediated through a common afferent pathway in the spinal cord.