The investigation of association between craniotomy and serum Cortisol and growth hormone levels in severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Different hormonal responses may appear in severe head injured patients (including increase in serum Cortisol & GH level). These changes can also be seen in recovery and rehabilitation periods, so influencing the patients, outcome. Forty severely head injured patients, referred to emergency units of Alzahra & Kashani hospitals were studied in a cohort study (selected by convenient sampling) after dividing into two equal groups. Craniotomy was performed for one group and conservative (non-surgical) therapy for the other. In the first and seventh day of admission serum Cortisol and growth hormone were checked (using RIA method). Data was analyzed by paired and student t tests. There were significant differences between mean of GH in the first and also in the seventh day(both with P<0.05) and between mean of GH and Cortisol from first to seventh day in two study groups(P<0.05). But there were no significant differences between mean of Cortisol in the first or seventh day in two study groups. Results of this study showed that craniotomy as an independent factor can raise serum GH and Cortisol levels in severely head injured patients.