Stress Markers of Health Status of Bank Employees

Khadiga Salah Ibrahim and Safia Bechir Ahmed

Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt

Corresponding author: Khadiga Salah Ibrahim
    Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine
    National Research Centre
    Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
    Fax number: 00202-3370931
    E-mail: khadigasalah@yahoo.com

CEJOEM 2003, Vol.9. No.1.: 23–32

Key words:
Job stress, immunoglobulin, CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, cortisol, natural killer cell

Abstract:
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of chronic professional stress on the cellular and humoral immune systems in bank employees. On the basis of a job stress questionnaire, 100 male subjects were selected according to high or low scores of professional stress. Blood samples were taken to count white blood cells, CD4 and CD8 marked lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and to determine the concentration of immunoglobulins (A, M and G), cortisol, C-reactive protein (CRP), and neoptrin. Chronic professional stress appeared to be associated with immune dysfunction including signs of immune activation (increased serum concentrations of IgG and IgA) and immune suppression (decreased number of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ cells). The shifts were more pronounced in the group with higher job stress. Serum cortisol, CRP, and neoptrin showed no significant differences between the groups. It is supposed that in the presence of chronic stress distinct psychological mechanisms are associated with specific immune dysfunctions.

Received: 5 August 2003
Accepted: 30 October 2003

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