Work stress in residents of medical-surgical specialties and its relationship with the inflammatory state

Introduction: residents of medical-surgical specialties are a population at risk of developing Burnout syndrome, which negatively affects their health and, consequently, triggers alterations in serum cytokine levels that lead to an inflammatory state. Objective: to assess work stress through the diagnosis of Burnout syndrome and pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels in first year residents of the Universidad del Cauca. Materials and Methods: a prospective longitudinal descriptive study was carried out in a population of 14 medical residents. It was used self-completed surveys to evaluate sociodemographic, clinical and residence variables; as well as, the Zung test and the Maslach Burnout Inventory to assess the presence of Burnout syndrome. Additionally, venous blood samples were taken to measure the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines using the ELISA technique, at the beginning, six months and one year (three samples) at the beginning of the medical residency. Results: he 100% of the population presented alterations in any of the dimensions associated with Burnout syndrome, among which predominated was emotional exhaustion. In the end of the follow- up, 14.3% of the residents presented Burnout and a significant decrease in TNF-alpha production was observed. Conclusion: this study evidences the possibility of the appearance of burnout syndrome in students of medical-surgical specialization due to exposure to chronic stressors associated with academic and emotional conditions. Similarly, this research demonstrates a disease in the inflammatory state of residents, which in the long term that could affect health.