[Dynamics of some indicators of carbohydrate metabolism under general anesthesia with fluorothane and epidural analgesia in children].

Combined halothane anesthesia (55 children) produced an insignificant increase in glucose and insulin blood levels, which might be accounted for by a depressing halothane effect on the brain cortex. Epidural analgesia (47 children) leads to a decrease in nociceptive impulsation, which results in a sharp increase in somatotropic hormone (STH) level with stable insulin blood concentration. Increased glucose blood level observed in the postoperative period after epidural analgesia may be accounted for by diabetogenic effect of STH.