Changes of lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptors after surgical stress

In this study the authors' purpose was to observe the effects of surgical stress on the number of lymphocyte beta-adrenergic receptors in hypertensive and normotensive subjects. It was noticed that after surgery a significant reduction occurred in the number of binding sites of lymphocytes of both hypertensive and normotensive subjects. The time course of recovery to the pre-operative values of binding sites varied between the two groups, being slower in normotensive than in hypertensive patients. This might suggest a different pattern of regulation of the beta-adrenergic receptor between hypertensive and normotensive subjects.