title: Hematological and immunological effects of stress of air traffic controllers in northeastern Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have shown that stress and emotional reactions can affect immune responses in animals and humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate hematological and immunological effects of stress on air traffic controllers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty air traffic controllers and 15 aeronautical information service operators were evaluated. The groups were divided as information service operators with 10 years or more of experience (AIS≥10) and with less than 10 years in the profession (AIS<10) and air traffic controllers with 10 years or more of experience (ATCo≥10) and with less than 10 years in the profession (ATCo<10). Blood samples were drawn at 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The paired t-test was used to compare monocyte and nitric oxide concentrations and ANOVA was used for the other parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ATCo≥10 group presented a significantly lower phagocytosis rate of monocytes at 2:00 p.m. compared to 8:00 a.m. Moreover, the ATCo≥10 group presented lower hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, platelet and leukocyte levels, and increased cortisol concentrations at 8:00 a.m. compared to the other groups. Additionally, this group had lower phagocytosis rate of monocytes, and hemoglobin, platelet, leukocyte, basophils and nitric oxide levels at 2:00 p.m. compared to the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress seems to greatly affect immune responses of air traffic controllers with more than ten years of experience.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Valdenilson Ribeiro
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.forename: Hugo André de Lima
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Marcelo Tavares
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Simone do Nascimento
authors.initials: Sdo N
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.forename: Severino Marcos de Oliveira
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Bruno Henrique Andrade
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Galvão
authors.forename: Alice Andrade
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.forename: Célia Maria Machado Barbosa
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Everton Botelho
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Sougey
authors.forename: Raul Manhães
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Castro