Objectives: During anesthesia management and at post-operative period it is necessary to prevent endocrine, metabolic and immunologic responses and also to protect hemodynamic stability. It is also a principal expectation to avoid side effects of drugs by using low doses. Our study aimed to search the effects of anesthesia method on endocrine and immunologic responses.

Materials and Methods: Twenty three patients with atopic dermatitis whose age ranging from 8 to 35 (mean ± SE 21.77±2.88) and 23 healthy volunteer whose age ranging from 18 to 32 (mean ± SE 25±3.22) were obtained in Dermatology Department of Firat University Research Center. Blood samples were collected and separated serums stored in –80 0C until study. Total IgE levels were measured with ELISA. Statistical analysis was made by Student’s T test using SPSS 11.0 and p<0.05 values were considered to be statistically significant.

Results: After getting approval from ethic commity, 30 patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy were inserted to study. Patients aged between 38-55 years from ASA status I-II were randomly divided into two groups. Group G received only general anesthesia and group E received general+epidural anesthesia. Four venous blood samples were taken (before anesthesia, 5 minutes after skin incision, 2 and 24 hours after beginning of anesthesia) for the assessment of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and cortisol levels. Groups were statistically evaluated with Mann Withney-U test under SPSS software.

Conclusion: Using epidural anesthesia with general anesthesia in lower abdominal surgery did not show significant effects on pro-inflamatory and anti-inflamatory cytokins. Our findings were similiar to outcomes of literatures but when our findings and results of previous studies about this subjects were evaluated we conclude that new studies are needed for researching this study. ©2005, Fırat Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi