The influence of psychological stress on total serum protein and patterns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis.
BACKGROUND
Significant alterations in total serum protein (TSP) patterns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis and serum proteins have been reported in patients with major depression and in subjects submitted to a combination of psychological and physical stress. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of academic examination stress, on TSP and patterns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis.


METHODS
TSP and the concentrations and percentages of the major electrophoretically separated serum proteins were measured in 41 healthy biomedical students the day before a difficult academic examination (i.e. the stressful condition), as well as a few weeks before and after the stressful condition (i.e. two baseline conditions).


RESULTS
Academic examination stress increased TSP and the alpha 1, alpha 2, beta and gamma concentrations in stress-reactors, but not in stress non-reactors (as defined by changes in the Perceived Stress Scale). Academic examination stress reduced the percentage of albumin in the stress-reactors, but not in stress non-reactors. There were significant positive relationships between the stress-induced changes in TSP and serum alpha 2, beta and gamma concentrations and the stress-induced changes in the Perceived Stress Scale.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that even mild psychological stress of short duration can lead to measurable changes in TSP and in patterns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis.
Van Hunsel
F
F
University Department of Psychiatry, OCMW Hospitals, Antwerp, Belgium.
Van Gastel
A
A
Neels
H
H
Wauters
A
A
Demedts
P
P
Bruyland
K
K
DeMeester
I
I
Scharpé
S
S
Janca
A
A
Song
C
C
Maes
M
M
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001797:Blood Protein Electrophoresis; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D002110:Caffeine / Q000097:blood; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D002110:Caffeine