• Ioana Marin, Mircea Iurciuc, Florina Georgeta Popescu, Stela Iurciuc, Calin Marius Popoiu, Catalin Nicolae Marin, Sorin Ursoniu, and Corneluta Fira-Mladinescu.
• Discipline of Occupational Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Victor Babeş", Eftimie Murgu Square, No.2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
• Medicina (Kaunas). 2022 May 26; 58 (6).

AbstractBackground and Objectives: In the COVID-19 epidemiological context, the health care workers who were treating patients with COVID-19 were exposed daily to additional stress. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a predictive parameter for possible major adverse cardiovascular events. The present study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the general stress levels and PWVs of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The study group was heterogeneous in terms of the medical profession. PWV was measured using a TendioMed arteriograph. Assessment of stress level was performed using a general stress questionnaire with questions grouped on the areas that contribute to stress: lifestyle, environment, symptoms, job, relationships and personality. PWV measurements and stress assessment were performed both during the period with many patients with COVID-19 and during the period with few patients with COVID-19. Results: The stress levels and PWVs of subjects were higher in the period when they cared for patients with COVID-19 than in the period when they did not have patients with COVID-19. Conclusions: The study shows a positive correlation between the PWV of each subject and his/her stress score (the higher the stress score, the higher the PWV).

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