title: [Biological risk and health care workers: analysis of the effects of work chronobiology on the immune system].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Healthcare workers may be exposed to a variety of biological hazards. Although many studies have shown that some immunological alterations were related to work stress and sleep disorders, few studies investigated effects of shiftwork on the immunological system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to compare the immune status of a group of nurses on shiftwork with that of nurses working only day shifts.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 138 nurses were evaluated at baseline and after a year of follow-up, via tests for perceived stress, daytime sleepiness, number of lymphocytes and subpopulation of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+-CD57+, CD19+ and CD56+, cytotoxic activity and lympho-prolferative response of NK cells, serum concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-6, INFgamma and TNFalpha.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant alterations of any of the studied parameters were found both at baseline and after a year of follow-up. The biological hazards for nurses do not seem to be increased by shiftwork.
authors.affiliation: Medicina del Lavoro-Servizio del medico competente, Ospedale di Loreto, ASUR Marche Zona 7 Ancona. alfredo.copertaro@sanita.marche.it
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Copertaro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bracci
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amati
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mocchegiani
authors.forename: Mariella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbaresi
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Copertaro
authors.forename: Lory
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santarelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D021081:Chronobiology Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D009740:Nursing Staff; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012306:Risk; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines