Effect of laparotomy on the pituitary-adrenal axis in dogs

OBJECTIVE To assess effects of major abdominal surgery on serum cortisol and aldosterone and plasma canine ACTH (cACTH) concentrations. ANIMALS 39 healthy dogs undergoing laparotomy during veterinary student surgical laboratories. PROCEDURES Blood samples were obtained before and at completion of su...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	American journal of veterinary research Vol. 78; no. 8; pp. 919 - 925
Main Authors:	Skovira, Emily J, Behrend, Ellen N, Martin, Linda G, Palmer, Lee E, Kemppainen, Robert J, Lee, Hollie P
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	United States 01-08-2017
Subjects:	Adrenocorticotropic Hormone - blood Aldosterone - blood Animals Dogs - blood Dogs - surgery Female Hydrocortisone - blood Laparotomy - veterinary Male Pituitary-Adrenal System - drug effects Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiology Pituitary-Adrenal System - surgery Reference Values
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Summary:	OBJECTIVE To assess effects of major abdominal surgery on serum cortisol and aldosterone and plasma canine ACTH (cACTH) concentrations. ANIMALS 39 healthy dogs undergoing laparotomy during veterinary student surgical laboratories. PROCEDURES Blood samples were obtained before and at completion of surgery. Serum cortisol and aldosterone and plasma cACTH concentrations were measured by use of validated radioimmunoassays. Changes in concentrations (postoperative concentration minus preoperative concentration) were calculated. Data were analyzed by use of the Wilcoxon signed rank test, Pearson correlation analysis, and Mann-Whitney rank sum test. RESULTS Cortisol, aldosterone, and cACTH concentrations increased significantly from before to after surgery. Although cortisol and aldosterone concentrations increased in almost all dogs, cACTH concentrations decreased in 6 of 32 (19%) dogs. All dogs had preoperative cortisol concentrations within the reference range, but 24 of 39 (62%) dogs had postoperative concentrations above the reference range. A correlation between the change in cACTH concentration and the change in cortisol concentration was not detected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Laparotomy caused a significant increase in serum cortisol and aldosterone concentrations. In most dogs, but not all dogs, plasma cACTH concentrations increased. Lack of correlation between the change in cACTH concentration and the change in cortisol concentration suggested that increased postoperative cortisol concentrations may have been attributable to ACTH-independent mechanisms, an early ACTH increase that caused a sustained cortisol release, or decreased cortisol clearance. Further studies are indicated to evaluate the effects of various anesthetic protocols and minimally invasive surgical techniques on the stress response.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	0002-9645 1943-5681
DOI:	10.2460/ajvr.78.8.919