MedPath

Biomarkes Of Job STRess In Emergency Senior Physicians - Detection of Stressful Events

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Heart Rate Variability
Interventions
Behavioral: Comparison of biomarkers of stress
Registration Number
NCT04334083
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand
Brief Summary

Emergency medicine is a unique specialty focusing on a breadth of acute care, on demand . Shift work is also a fundamental component of emergency medicine, and is associated with chronic stress, including stress at work. Consequently, stress may lead to symptoms of mental exhaustion, physical fatigue, detachment from work, and feelings of diminished competence . Emergency physicians (EPs) are exposed to a complex interplay between stress (life-and-death emergencies - a defining characteristic of their job), sleep deprivation, and fatigue due to repeated changes in, and duration of shifts. Work-related exhaustion can lead to various physical and psychological symptoms, and also may be associated with delayed decision-making . The combined effects of stress and fatigue can impact on job performance, often resulting in otherwise preventable medical errors. Moreover, prolonged stress may expose EPs to a higher risk of multiple diseases, predominantly systemic inflammation and coronary heart disease. All these contribute to the premature departure of EPs to other specialties. Furthermore, low HRV has been associated with stress, burnout, and is linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

This project proposes to evaluate if life-and-death emergencies or specific situations will induce abrupt changes in HRV among emergency physicians. Moreover, we would like to compare reactions between being an actor (EPs) and being a spectator and assess the role of expertise and habituation to stressful emergency situations.

Detailed Description

The JOBSTRESS protocol was designed to provide a better understanding of the association between specific situations (ie: life and death emergencies) and breaks in the variability of the heart rate. Each emergency physician participates in the study two times. A night shift from 6:30 p.m to 8:30 a.m (14 hours) which will be compared with a day shift, as a control, from 8:30 a.m to 6:30 p.m. Emergency physicians will be accompanied by a medical externship student.

Statistical analysis will be performed using Stata software (version 13; Stata-Corp, College Station, Tex., USA). All statistical tests will be bilateral and a p \<0.05 will be considered significant. Qualitative variables will be described in terms of numbers and proportions. Quantitative variables will be described in terms of numbers, average, median, standard deviation, and range. Graphic representations will be complete presentations of results. We process multivariate physiological series (HR, HRV, SC, wrist motion, respiratory rate) in order to build a stress index. For such multivariate physiological series, we first use change point analysis on each univariate series in order to get clusters with constant parameters, then we use classification algorithm on the constant parameters obtained in first step in order to obtain different classes corresponding to different levels of stress. Eventually, we obtain at each time the level of stress and can compare it to the environmental conditions.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
48
Inclusion Criteria
  • Emergency physicians from the emergency department of CHU Clermont-Ferrand will be accompanied by a medical externship student.
  • Ability to give a written informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Participant refusal to participate

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Emergency physiciansComparison of biomarkers of stressactors during the work
medical externship studentComparison of biomarkers of stressspectator during the emergency physician work
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
heart rate variability at night workfrom 18:30 to 8:30, during the 14 hours of the night shift

measure of abrupt changes in HRV signals during 14 hours

heart rate variability at day workfrom 8:30 to 18:30, during the 10 hours of the day shift

measure of abrupt changes in HRV signals during 10 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Stressat 18:30, end of the day shift

measure of stress using VAS

Clinical measurements weightday 1

measure of weight

Clinical measurements heightday 1

measure of height

Fatigueat 18:30, end of the day shift

measure of Fatigue using VAS

Saliva biomarkers DHEASat 18:30, end of the day shift

measure of DHEAS

blood samples TGat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of TG

blood samples DHEASat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of DHEAS

blood samples BDNFat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of BDNF

blood samples proinflammatory cytokinesat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of proinflammatory cytokines

Burnoutday 1

Burnout is assessed by the Maslach Burn-out Inventory (MBI) composed by 22 items and a 7-point scale ranging from "never" to "every day".

Sick leaveday 1

assessing sick leave by the number of absence days the previous 6 months using a questionnaire

blood samples HDLc and LDL-cholesterolat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of HDLc and LDL-cholesterol

blood samples Cortisolat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of Cortisol

blood samples vitamine Dat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of vitamine D

Saliva biomarkers cortisolat 18:30, end of the day shift

measure of Cortisol

blood samples full blood countat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of full blood count

blood samples HbA1c,at 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of HbA1c

Saliva biomarkers lgAsat 18:30, end of the day shift

measure of lgAs

blood samples telomeres lenghat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of telomeres lengh

Anxietyday 1

Anxiety is assessed by the the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) composed by 7 items and a 4-point scale from "never" to "always" and by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) composed by two dimensions, state anxiety and trait anxiety, both evaluated with a 20-items questionnaire on a 4-point scale from "never" to "always".

Depressionday 1

depression is assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) composed by 7 items and a 4-point scale from "never" to "always".

systolic blood pressureat 18:30, end of day shift

measure of systolic blood pressure

Life satisfactionday 1

quality of life is assessed by a brief multidimensional life satisfaction scale (BMLSS)

Lifestyleday 1

Assessing factors regarding lifestyle are related to smoking, alcohol, coffee, food intake (questionnaires), and physical activity (Recent Physical Activity Questionnaire).

Life and occupational eventsday 1

Assessing factors regarding death of patients or death of a loved one by questionnaire.

diastolic blood pressureat 18:30, end of day shift

measure of disatolic blood pressure

skin conductancefrom 8:30 to 18:30, during the 10 hours of day shift

measure of the skin conductance

Genetic factors ACEat 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of the polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE

Genetic factors (5-HTT)at 8:30, baseline of the day shift

measure of the polymorphism of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chu Clermont Ferrand

🇫🇷

Clermont-Ferrand, France

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