Maduka Ignatius C, Neboh Emeka E, Ufelle Silas A
Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Human Biochemistry.
Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Enugu State, University of Science and Technology, Nigeria.
Afr Health Sci. 2015 Mar;15(1):131-6. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v15i1.18.
Stress is an extremely adaptive phenomenon in human beings and cortisol is a known stress hormone. Examination has been described as a naturalistic stressor capable of affecting human health.
To estimate the relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and lipid profile during examination stress.
Two hundred and eight (208) apparently-healthy undergraduate students (aged, 24 ± 6 years) were involved in the study. Exactly 5 mls of venous blood was collected from each subject 1-3 hours before a major examination. A second assessment was done on the same students 3-4 weeks before any examination (control samples). Cortisol and adrenaline were assayed using ELISA techniques, FBG was assayed using enzymatic method while lipid parameters were assayed using standard enzymatic-spectrophotometric methods.
There was statistically significant increase in serum cortisol, adrenaline, Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in students under examination stress compared to the non examination period (p=0.001, 0.013, 0.0001, 0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively). FBG showed no significant increase. There was also significant positive correlation (r=0.297, p=0.032) between serum cortisol and TC/HDL ratio (cardiac risk factor) before examination stress but not during the stress period.
Significant positive correlation was observed between cortisol and TC/HDL ratio before examination stress.
压力是人类一种极具适应性的现象，皮质醇是一种已知的应激激素。考试被描述为一种能够影响人类健康的自然应激源。
评估考试压力期间血清皮质醇、肾上腺素、空腹血糖（FBG）和血脂水平之间的关系。
208名表面健康的本科生（年龄24±6岁）参与了本研究。在一次重要考试前1-3小时从每个受试者采集5毫升静脉血。在任何考试前3-4周对同一批学生进行第二次评估（对照样本）。采用ELISA技术检测皮质醇和肾上腺素，采用酶法检测FBG，采用标准酶分光光度法检测血脂参数。
与非考试期间相比，处于考试压力下的学生血清皮质醇、肾上腺素、总胆固醇、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平有统计学显著升高（分别为p=0.001、0.013、0.0001、0.0001和0.0001）。FBG无显著升高。在考试压力前血清皮质醇与TC/HDL比值（心脏危险因素）之间存在显著正相关（r=0.297，p=0.032），但在压力期间不存在。
在考试压力前观察到皮质醇与TC/HDL比值之间存在显著正相关。
