• Angela Casado Moragón, Nieves De Lucas García, M Encarnación López Fernández, Alberto Sánchez Rodriguez-Manzaneque, and José A Jimenez Fraile.
• Departamento de Fisiopatología y Genética Molecular Humana, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. acasado@cib.csic.es
• Eur J Emerg Med. 2005 Jun 1; 12 (3): 111-5.

BackgroundReactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in many diseases and aging. Scavenging enzymes represent one of several natural defence mechanisms against ROS-induced damage. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase are enzymes that are involved in antioxidant defence. Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment.ObjectivesTo determine the activity of two antioxidant enzymes, SOD and catalase, and their variation according to demographic and occupational variables in workers of a prehospitalary emergency service, and to analyse the relationship between antioxidant enzyme activities and burnout 111 healthy workers of a prehospitalary emergency service were surveyed.MethodsSOD activity was analysed by the Minami and Yoshikawa method. Catalase activity was measured by the method of Aebi. To measure burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory was used.ResultsNo significant variations with respect to sex were detected in SOD and catalase activities and levels of burnout. Significant differences in SOD activity between the control group and workers of a prehospitalary emergency service (P<0.001) were found. SOD activity was higher in workers on night and evening shifts (P<0.001). These workers also obtained higher scores in burnout subscales, but without statistical significance.

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