Redistribution of granulocytes during adrenaline infusion and following administration of cortisol in healthy volunteers.

Major surgical procedures induce an endocrine metabolic stress response characterized by increased secretion of adrenaline and cortisol. Furthermore, surgical stress is accompanied by granulocytosis in peripheral blood. The granulocytosis may be due to increased adrenaline and cortisol secretion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the redistribution of granulocytes during adrenaline infusion and following administration of cortisol. Granulocytes were isolated from peripheral blood from eight healthy volunteers, labelled with indium-111-tropolene and reinjected. The distribution of granulocytes was imaged by using a gamma camera and calculated with an interfaced computer three times during a control period and three times during a corresponding hour af adrenaline infusion 0.05 micrograms kg b.w.-1 min-1. The distribution was then measured every second h for another 6-h control period and then for 6 h following administration of cortisol 3.6 mg kg b.w.-1. Infusion of adrenaline resulted in granulocytosis in peripheral blood and a reduction of radioactivity of the spleen to 83.0% of the initial value. The effect of adrenaline on the bone marrow was negligible. Cortisol administration was followed by granulocytosis and decreased radioactivity of both the spleen (81.5%) and the bone marrow (79.8%). It is concluded that the spleen is an active immunological organ as both adrenaline and cortisol induces efflux of granulocytes from the spleen. The cortisol induced efflux of granulocytes from the bone marrow explains that granulocytosis also occurs in splenectomized patients after major surgery.