Immune Status After Being on Call for 24 Hrs

Sleep deprivation is a prevalent problem in modern societies. Sleep deprivation can cause hormonal changes, such as an increase in cortisol, as well as inflammation. Animal studies have shown an increase in inflammatory cytokine production following sleep deprivation. Additionally, humans experiencing sleep deprivation may experience a decrease in natural killer cells and lymphocytes.

Physicians, particularly those in surgical specialties, are often subjected to sleep deprivation as part of their medical residency training. This study hypothesizes that after 24-hour shifts, there is an increase in inflammatory response and impairment of the immune response against unspecific activation. This proposal aims to provide insight into the impact of sleep deprivation on the immune system of surgery residents by characterizing the phenotype and function of immune cells, as well as their correlation with biometric data.