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Relationship between oxidative and occupational stress and aging in nurses of an intensive care unit

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Abstract

Stressful conditions lead to formation of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cause oxidative stress and aging. The aim of this study was to determine superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in nurses of a hospital intensive care unit according to demographic and occupational parameters, and to analyse the relationship with aging. Thirty-two nurses working in an intensive care unit and 35 aged-matched healthy individuals of both sexes as a control group were surveyed. No significant variations with respect to sex were detected in SOD, CAT, MDA and burnout levels. MDA levels increased with age in both the control group and the nurses, and we observed significant differences in MDA levels between the control group and nurses for all age groups. Significant variations in MDA levels were detected between single (286.12 ± 8.41) and married (318.82 ± 6.02), people, between those who frequently practice some kind of sport (281.41 ± 7.32) and those who never participate in sport (298.24 ± 8.11) ,and between those who frequently eat fruit and greens (289.75 ± 8.41) and those who never eat them (315.12 ± 7.21). Significant differences were detected between smokers and nonsmokers in SOD, CAT and MDA, but not for alcohol, coffee, tea or cola consumption. Higher SOD activity and MDA levels were detected in nurses on evening and night shifts (P < 0.01); these nurses also scored significantly higher on burnout subscales. These results suggest that: (1) occupational stress increases oxidative stress levels as a response to elevated ROS generation; (2) occupational stress increases MDA levels as a response to an elevation in free radical generation and can lead to aging; (3) working evening and night shifts increases oxidative and burnout levels. It is evident that preventive changes in job conditions and lifestyle are necessary to improve the quality of life of nurses who work in intensive care units.

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Acknowledgements

This research project was supported by Foundation Yebenes Velo. The authors are greatly indebted to the personnel of the intensive care unit of Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid for their kind cooperation. The authors wish to Ana María Fernández Nieto for her valuable contribution to this work. They also thank Miss María Burgos, for her excellent reviewing of the English in this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Fisiopatología Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, Madrid, 28040, Spain

    Ángela Casado, M. Encarnación López-Fernández & Rocío Ruíz

  2. Servicio de Salud Laboral, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Doctor Esquerdo, 46, Madrid, 28009, Spain

    Alberto Castellanos & Federico Noriega

  3. Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Doctor Esquerdo, 46, Madrid, 28009, Spain

    Concha García Aroca

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  1. Ángela Casado
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  2. Alberto Castellanos
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  3. M. Encarnación López-Fernández
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  4. Rocío Ruíz
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  5. Concha García Aroca
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  6. Federico Noriega
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Correspondence to Ángela Casado.

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Casado, Á., Castellanos, A., López-Fernández, M.E. et al. Relationship between oxidative and occupational stress and aging in nurses of an intensive care unit. AGE 30, 229–236 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-008-9052-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-008-9052-5

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