SERUM CORTICOSTEROID-BINDING GLOBULIN LEVELS IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING HEART-SURGERY

Serum corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) levels were measured in ch ildren (mean age 4 years) during heart surgery. Considerable decrease in CBG level occurred between baseline examination (416 +/- 39 nM) and the day of surgery (314 +/- 30 nM). Relatively simple closed heart su rgery did not influence CBG level with maximal cortisol level being 20 +/- 4 mug/dl. Open heart surgery under conditions of profound hypothe rmia (26 C, without extracorporeal circulation) caused dramatic loweri ng of CBG level, particularly striking after resuscitation (180 +/- 20 nM). At the same time cortisol level reached extremely high values (7 8 +/- 8 mug/dl). These data suggest that CBG is likely to play an impo rtant role in pituitary-adrenal response to surgery under severe condi tions of hypothermia and cardiac arrest.