ABSTRACT
Abstract Excessive sleepiness (ES) is an increased tendency to initiate involuntary sleep for naps at inappropriate times. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess ES in air traffic controllers (ATCo). Methods: 45 flight protection professionals were evaluated, comprising 30 ATCo, subdivided into ATCo with ten or more years in the profession (ATCo≥10, n=15) and ATCo with less than ten years in the profession (ATCo<10, n=15) and 15 aeronautical information services operators (AIS), subdivided into AIS with ten years or more in the profession (AIS≥10, n=8) and AIS with less than ten years in the profession (AIS<10, n=7), who were included as the control group. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Maintenance of Wakefulness Test were used for evaluating subjective and objective excessive sleepiness. Kruskal-Wallis was used for ES and Mann-Whitney for sleep latency (SL), collection time in minutes (mins), and expressed as Median (Minimum-Maximum), p<0.05. Results: ATCo≥10 12 (6-14) mins and ATCo<10 10 (1-15) mins showed greater sleepiness compared to CONTROL1 7 (3-8) mins and CONTROL2 6 (4-6) mins, p=0.001*. A total of 77.27% of the ATCo and 16.67% of the AIS had an SL of less than 20 minutes. The ATCo presented an SL of 16.59 (3.25-40), lower than that of the AIS of 31.71 (10.63-40) mins, p<0.05*. Conclusion: Brazilian air traffic controllers exhibit excessive sleepiness.
Resumo A sonolência excessiva (SE) é a uma tendência aumentada de se iniciar o sono por cochilos involuntários em momentos inapropriados. Objetivo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar SE em controladores de trafego aéreo (CTA). Métodos: Foram avaliados 45 profissionais de proteção ao voo, sendo 30 CTA, subdivididos em CTA com dez ou mais anos na profissão (CTA≥10, n=15) e CTA com menos de dez anos na profissão (CTA<10, n=15) e 15 operadores de serviços de informações aeronáuticas (AIS), subdivididos em AIS com dez anos ou mais na profissão (AIS≥10, n=8) e AIS com menos de dez anos na profissão (AIS<10, n=7). A Escala de Sonolência de Epworth e o Teste de Manutenção da Vigília foram empregados para avaliação subjetiva e objetiva de sonolência excessiva. Utilizou-se: Kruskal-Wallis para os dados de SE e Mann-Whitney para a latência de sono. Tempo coletado em minutos (mins). Todos os dados foram expressos em mediana (mínimo-máximo), p<0,05). Resultados: CTA≥10 12 (6-14) mins e CTA<10 10 (1-15) mins apresentaram um aumento de sonolência, quando comparados ao CONTROLE1 7 (3-8) mins e ao CONTROLE2 6 (4-6) mins, p=0,001*. 77,27% dos CTA e 16,67% dos AIS apresentaram latência de sono abaixo de 20 minutos. Os CTA apresentaram uma latência de sono de 16,59 (3,25-40) mins abaixo dos AIS 31,71(10,63-40), p<0,05*. Conclusão: Controladores de tráfego aéreo apresentam sonolência excessiva
Subject(s)
Humans , Sleep Latency , SleepinessABSTRACT
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. CONCLUSION: Stress seems to greatly affect immune responses of air traffic controllers with more than ten years of experience.