PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE LABOR OF MEDICAL WORKERS IN ORGANIZATIONS WITH COVID-19

Introduction. High neuro-emotional stress among medical workers in organizations with the leading harmfulness of Covid-19 contributes to the formation of an unfavorable functional state, increases the risks of health disorders. The study of the characteristics of the psychophysiological reactions of the body will allow to substantiate the timing of work in a pandemic, which is quite relevant at the present time. The purpose of the research was, on the basis of comprehensive psychophysiological studies, to study the features of the formation of a functional state in medical personnel working in organizations with COVID-19 under the influence of stress factors of the labor process. Materials and methods. A physiological and hygienic assessment of the intensity of the labor process was carried out, psychophysiological changes were studied during 3 months of work in the «dangerous» zone. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out using the statistical programs Statistika 10, Microsoft Excel 2010. Results. The formation of neuropsychic stress in medical workers is reflected in changes in ECG indicators (prolongation of the QT interval, decrease in the voltage of the P and T waves) and systemic arterial pressure, an increase in the endurance coefficient (an indicator of detraining of the cardiovascular system), positive values of the Kerdo autonomic index (predominance of sympathetic influences) after 3 months of work in medical organizations with Covid-19. Conclusions. Nervous and emotional tension at work is the leading professional factor among nurses and doctors working in medical institutions with Covid-19 (hazard class 3, grade 3). Indicators of the cardiovascular system, reflecting the degree of adaptation of the body of medical workers to production activities, can be used to justify different periods of work in organizations with Covid-19.

CHARACTERSTICS OF HEALTHY MEN HEMODYNAMICS IN A HYPOMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT

Hemodynamics was studied in essentially healthy resting 8 male subjects exposed to an experimental hypomagnetic environment (HME). The cardio-respiratory system functioning was evaluated by 8-hour continuous monitoring of heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) fluctuations during every cardiac cycle, Kerdo autonomic index (KAI) and blood oxygenation (SpO2) in the Earth's natural magnetic field and a field attenuated in approximately 1,000 times. Comparative analysis of the measurements made in the control and HME tests elicited different trends. Thus, the HR average reduction amounted to 4 bpm; BP dropped significantly, i.e. diastolic BP by 11 mmHg and systolic BP, 16 mmHg on average. In HME, KAI rose commonly 20 %. Hemoglobin saturation did not change. The paper contains graphic interpretations of the KAI dependence on duration of the HME exposure. Mathematical modeling suggests a physiological interpretation of these results. More often than not sitting at rest in HME reduced substantially the modulating effect of parasympathetic regulation on the cardiovascular system in comparison with the control test in the normal geomagnetic field.

Food Insecurity is Associated with Autonomic Dysfunction Among Latinos with Type 2 Diabetes

Objectives Food insecurity (FI) is higher among Latinos than non-Hispanic Whites and associated with risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction increases mortality in diabetes. We examined FI and ANS function among Latinos with T2D. Methods Participants were drawn from the CALMS-D (Community Health Workers Assisting Latinos Manage Stress and Diabetes) stress management intervention trial. Inclusion: age 18 years, Latino or Hispanic, Spanish speaking, ambulatory status, T2D 6 months, A1c > 7.0%. Exclusion: medical or psychiatric instability; pain or dysfunction in hands precluding handgrip testing. Measures: FI was assessed with the 6-item US household food security survey module; affirmative responses to > = 1 questions was coded as FI. Six autonomic measures were scored 0 = normal or 1 = abnormal based on published cutoffs and then summed for a total ANS dysfunction index. ANS measures and their normal cutoffs were: 1) metanephrine <350 ug/day; 2) normetanephrine <600 ug/day; 3) cortisol 50–190 ug/day, all from 24-hour urine specimens; 4) 24-hour heart rate variability as reflected in standard deviation of the normal-to-normal (SDNN) heart rate acquired with 3-channel, 7-lead ambulatory electrocardiogram (holter) monitors, 149 +/–39; 5) difference between the highest diastolic blood pressure (DBP) during sustained handgrip and the average DBP at rest, >15 mmHg; and, 6) difference between baseline supine and the minimal BP after standing up, normal = decline in SBP <=20 mmHg and DBP <=10 mmHg. Results N = 35 participated, n = 23 (65.7%) were women, age M = 61.6 (SD = 11.2) years, A1c M = 8.5% (SD = 1.6) and n = 20 (57.1%) used insulin. N = 22 (62.9%) reported FI and n = 25 (71.4%) had at least one abnormal ANS measure. In t-tests, participants with FI had a higher ANS dysfunction index (M = 1.5, SD = 0.9) than patients who were food secure (M = 0.7, SD = 0.8), P = 0.02). Total autonomic index was not related to A1c or insulin use. Conclusions In this Latino sample with T2D, FI was associated with greater ANS dysfunction. Increasing food security may confer autonomic benefits. Funding Sources Supported by National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant R01MD005879 and American Diabetes Association grant 7–13-TS-31.

Comparison of Physiological and Biochemical Autonomic Indices in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorders

Background and objectives: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neuro-developmental disorder and it has been suggested that symptoms of ASD are associated with neural networks that regulate the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). However, the nature of autonomic atypicalities in ASDs remain largely unknown. Measures like Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and urinary Vanillylmandelic Acid (VMA) estimation are sensitive and non-invasive physiological and biochemical indicators of autonomic nervous activity. This study aimed to compare the physiological and biochemical autonomic indices in children with and without ASD. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 40 children with autism and 40 Typically Developing (TD) children were recruited. Measures of physiological autonomic index were assessed by the analysis of short term HRV, and the urinary levels of VMA estimation was used as a biochemical autonomic index. Results: Cardiac sympathetic activity assessed by Low Frequency (nu) of HRV was significantly higher in the ASD group in comparison with the TD group (p = 0.006). On the contrary, both the High Frequency (abs) and (nu) of HRV were found to be significantly lower in autistic children (p = 0.034 and p = 0.000) than controls. Autistic children also exhibited a significantly higher level (p = 0.049) of VMA concentration compared to TD children. Conclusion: The study concludes that children with ASD exhibit lower cardio-vagal activity as measured by HRV and increased sympathetic activity as assessed by urinary VMA compared to that of TD children. The core autistic symptoms exhibited by children with ASD could be due to the differences in baseline arousal or stress which might be associated with autonomic dysfunction. Further studies are needed to examine the association of this autonomic dysregulation with ASD symptoms and comorbidities.

Adaptive changes of the indices of the cardiovascular system and serum content of a number of hormones under examination stress condition

Aim. To study the features of the indices of the cardiovascular system and serum concentrations of several hormones and biogenic amines among the students under the impact of examination stress. Methods. The study was conducted on a group of young conditionally healthy volunteers. The starting group of study subjects consisted of 203 students who prior to participation in the study passed a medical examination, including medical history, calculation of body mass index, physical, instrumental and laboratory investigations. As a result, 93 students were selected; their own indicators outside the examination period were used as controls. The study individuals had an investigation of the state of autonomic reactions (measurement of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, Kerdo autonomic index) conducted 1 hour before and within 1 hour after the examination. The hormonal status was investigated by enzyme immunoassay. The results of the study were verified using the software package «StatPlus». Results. Sympathicotonic nature of the vegetative response dominated, according to which two categories of students were allocated: with a steady and significant increase in Kerdo autonomic index (53%) and with the lack of such growth rate (47%). In the study of the hormonal profile a reduction in the serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone and cortisol levels, an increase in blood content of the tested biogenic amines - histamine, epinephrine (adrenaline), serotonin was revealed. Conclusion. The established changes in the indices of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems emphasize the individual nature of each subject’s reactions, and therefore require clustering of students into groups according to the characteristics of autonomic and hormonal responses to psychoemotional stress.