The effects of anesthetic techniques on acute phase response at delivery (anesthesia and acute phase response)

Objectives: To investigate the effects of anesthetic techniques and delivery types on stress response during uncomplicated delivery. Design and methods: Forty pregnant women at term were divided into four groups. Group-I, cesarean section with general anesthesia; Group-II, section with spinal anesthesia; Group-III, section with epidural anesthesia; and Group-IV, vaginal delivery with epidural analgesia. C-reactive protein and albumin were measured on hospital admission, immediately after delivery and 24 h later. Results: Albumin and CRP levels decreased significantly in Group-II and Group-III, just after delivery. CRP increased significantly in all groups at the 24(th) hour of delivery. The effect of hemodilution on CRP and Albumin, due to volum loading, during spinal and epidural anesthesia disappeared after 24 h. Conclusion: We found no influence of anesthetic techniques on acute phase response except hemodilution effect. In the view of delivery types, vaginal delivery caused less stress response than section. (C) 2003 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. All rights reserved.