A Comparison of Salivary Immunoglobulin A between Nurses Working in Emergency Wards and Hospital Clerks.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to compare salivary immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels of female nurses working in emergency wards with those of female hospital clerks. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 42 female nurses in emergency wards and 42 female clerks of hospitals were selected. SIgA levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The collected data was analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Findings: The levels of SIgA in nurses and clerks were 338.04 ± 380.93 and 706 ± 354.70, respectively (P < 0.001). SIgA levels had significant differences between 20-29 year-old and 30-39 year-old members of the two groups (P = 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). Moreover, SIgA levels were significantly different between nurses and clerks with different working experience. Conclusion: The results of the current study confirmed that working in stressful emergency environments has a significant relationship with decreased SIgA level. These findings may suggest SIgA as a biomarker of psychological stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]