Influence of surgical stress under general anesthesia on serum gonadotropin levels in male and female patients.

Effects of surgical stress under the same general anesthesia (nitrous oxide, oxygen and halothane following induction with thiopental and succinylcholine chloride) on serum LH levels were studied in 18 postmenopausal females, 15 menstruating females and 17 males. In addition, serum FSH levels in female patients and testosterone levels in male patients were estimated. As controls without surgery and anesthesia, serum levels of LH, FSH and testosterone were estimated at identical time intervals to the experimental group in 15 normal postmenopausal females, 15 normal menstruating females and 10 normal males. In male patients, serum LH levels at 30 min and 1 hr after onset of anesthesia increased significantly over those of pre-anesthesia, while no significant intra-operative increase in LH levels was found in female patients. In male and female patients, the LH levels decreased slightly 5-6h and 2 days after onset of anesthesia, though the decreases were not statistically significant except in postmenopausal females. On the 7th postoperative day, the LH levels returned toward the baseline. In female patients, no significant intra-operative changes in FSH levels were found. In male patients, there were significant intra- and post-operative decreases in testosterone levels. In control subjects, no significant changes in serum levels of LH, FSH and testosterone were demonstrated. These observations suggest that significant intraoperative increases in serum LH levels occur in males but not in females.