Serum growth hormone release in response to a growth hormone-releasing factor analog during and after anesthesia in pigs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the time course for full recovery of the growth hormone governing system and somatocrinin response after anesthesia. Sixteen Yorkshire gilts aged 32 weeks were divided into three groups: saline (n = 6), anesthesia + saline (n = 5) and anesthesia + somatocrinin (n = 5). Under anesthesia, the area under the growth hormone curve was increased (P less than 0.05) from 1172 +/- 184 to 2807 +/- 1002 ng.min.mL-1, and a more consistent growth hormone response to somatocrinin was observed; all animals responded immediately, while only three out of five did so four hours before anesthesia. Sixteen and 40 hours after anesthesia, basal and stimulated growth hormone levels were comparable to those of unanesthetized controls, suggesting a prompt recovery from the effects of anesthesia. These data indicate that anesthetized pigs release higher quantities of growth hormone and have a more consistent growth hormone response to somatocrinin. A full recovery of basal and somatocrinin-induced growth hormone release was observed as soon as 16 hours after anesthesia.