* Department of Physiology, S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Bypass Road, NH-4, Davangere-577005, Karnataka.
** Dept. of Physiology, SSIMS & RC, Davangere.
*** Department of Oral Medicine, College of Dental Sciences, Davangere.
**** S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Davangere.
Online published on 1 October, 2011.
A fall in absolute eosinophil count has been shown to occur in man and in various animals during acute infections, after immersion in cold water, and after surgical and electrical shock. Physiological studies have shown that stress can alter blood cell parameters including the absolute eosinophil count in healthy individuals. Present study was done to determine whether the exams in medical schools are stressful enough to produce any such changes on absolute eosinophil count.125 healthy I st year MBBS students [41 males and 84 females] were tested for absolute eosinophil count by direct method using the principle of haemocytometry. To study the effect of stress on absolute eosinophil count, the tests were done 3 weeks prior to exams and on the day of exams. The study showed a significant fall in absolute eosinophil count on the day of exams [P<0.001]. The effect is probably mediated through the anterior pituitary and adrenocorticol hormones which are increased during stressful situations.
Absolute eosinophil count, Stress, Exams, Hormones
