Potential objective biomarkers for fatigue among working women.
OBJECTIVE
The prediction of health impairment due to work overload is subjectively assessed based on recognized symptoms; however, objective evaluation is primarily ideal in the field of occupational health. Recently, some biomarkers of autonomic function and/or oxidative stress were reported to be associated with fatigue. This study aimed to preliminarily investigate whether these biomarkers could be objective indicators for fatigue and stress among working women.


METHODS
Participants included 118 full-time female workers (mean age 37.8 years), including 55 shift workers. Self-administered questionnaires, such as visual analog scale (VAS) for general health, a lifestyle questionnaire, SF-8 for health-related quality of life, and K6 for mental health screening, were used. In addition, biomarkers such as acceleration plethysmogram (APG), reactive oxygen metabolites-derived compounds (d-ROMs), and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) were measured.


RESULTS
A significant association was observed between BAP and VAS (r=0.482, p<0.01) among shift workers. However, other biomarkers such as APG and d-ROMs were not significantly associated with symptoms. d-ROMs were significantly correlated with age and body mass index. There was a significant negative correlation between BAP and smoking. Results of the APG (low-frequency (LF) /high-frequency (HF) ratio) were significantly correlated with BAP, but not with d-ROMs. The LF/HF ratio and BAP for shift workers were significantly higher than those for day-time workers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that APG and BAP are potential objective biomarkers for fatigue among working women, although further follow-up studies are needed to clarify the scope of usefulness of the biomarkers for fatigue.
Wakayama-Rosai Hospital.|Ebata Occupational Health Research Institute.
Chie
C
Ebata
Wakayama-Rosai Hospital.
Hitomi
H
Tatsuta
Department of Preventive Medicine, Tokai University, School of Medicine.
Masayuki
M
Tatemichi
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010991:Plethysmography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014931:Women, Working; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers
Fatigue; Objective marker; Stress; Women workers