Peculiarities of Systemic Hemodynamics and Autonomic Status in Medical Personnel of PCR-Laboratories with Different Emotional Intelligence

INTRODUCTION: The ongoing pandemic of a new coronavirus infection COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019) places high demands on the activity of PCR-laboratories (laboratories performing polymerase chain reaction). The medical personnel experience overloads due to stay in the ‘red zone’ wearing the individual protection means, and also in association with a high personal responsibility for the result of their work. One of the criteria that is proposed for professional selection with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the work of personnel of PCR-laboratories, is the emotional quotient (EQ).

AIM: To analyze the state of systemic hemodynamics and heart rate variability in medical workers of PCR-laboratories with different emotional intelligence working in condition of COVID-19 pandemic using means of individual protection against the biological factor.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The extent of health risk and tension of adaptation mechanisms during the work were evaluated by parameters of systemic hemodynamics (tonometry, pulse oximetry) and heart rate variability (cardiorhythmography). Thirty three individuals with the working period in a PCR-laboratory from 1 to 33 months were examined. The average age of the participants at the time of inclusion in the study was 32.4 ± 1.44 years. In 33.7%, EQ corresponded to the medium level (81–120 points), and in 66.7% — to the high level (121–168 points).

RESULTS: Before the start of the work shift, increased blood supply to tissues in personnel with high EQ was achieved by increased heart activity: cardiac output (CO) — 3938.9 ml/min, interquartile range (IQR) = 3404.2–4230.2 ml/min — with the underlying reduction of vessel tone: total peripheral vascular resistance (TPVR) — 1922.8 dyn × s/cm⁵, IQR = 1636.5–2085.8 dyn × s/cm⁵. After the end of the shift, to these compensatory mechanisms (CO — 4284.7 ml/min, IQR = 3935.4–4688.8 ml/min; TPVR — 1692.4 dyn × s/cm⁵, IQR = 1584.6–1903.1 dyn × s/cm⁵), increased myocardial oxygen consumption (MOC; 7917.5 RU, IQR = 7430.2–8811.0 RU) added as a reaction to the muscular component of labor activity. In individuals with average EQ, these mechanisms were less pronounced in considerable mental stress: before the shift CO — 3722.0 ml/min, IQR = 3163.1–3739.0 ml/min, p = 0.013; TPVR — 2303.1 dyn × s/cm⁵, IQR = 2058.1–2402.1 dyn × s/cm⁵, p = 0.016; after the shift CO — 3375.0 ml/min, IQR = 3372.0–4402.0 ml/min, p = 0.010; TPVR — 2010.5 dyn × s/cm⁵, IQR = 1972.6–2351.9 dyn × s/cm⁵, p = 0.017; MOC — 7450.0 RU, IQR = 6653.3–7867.3 RU, p = 0.023.

CONCLUSION: The extent of tension of mechanisms of self-regulation of systemic circulation, apart from characteristics of used technical means and the working regime, significantly depends on the level of emotional intelligence. With this, personnel with high emotional intellect are preferable for the work in the ‘red zone’ because of lower tension of regulatory mechanisms.