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Levels of a protein called α-Klotho may provide an objective indicator of overwork—and associated health risks—in frontline medical workers, reports a study in the February
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Ning Xiao, MD, and colleagues of Yiling People's Hospital of Yichang City, Hubei, China, measured serum soluble α-Klotho—a protein involved in a wide range of biological functions, including antioxidative and anti-inflammatory pathways—in a sample of 176 frontline medical workers. To evaluate α-Klotho as a possible biomarker for overwork, levels were compared for 60 medical workers who worked over 60 hours weekly and a matched group with shorter work hours.
Particularly in Asian countries, overwork-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and stroke have become a major public health concern. Overwork has been linked to chronic stress, which can lead to inflammation and other physiological responses.
The results showed significantly higher levels of α-Klotho for medical workers in the overwork group: median 49.99 versus 27.88 picograms per milliliter. Those who worked more than 60 hours per week also had increased expression of interleukin-16 (IL-16)—an immune system protein linked to stress, inflammation, and related diseases.
"These results indicate that soluble α-Klotho levels may serve as a predictive marker for overwork," the researchers write. In contrast to IL-16, α-Klotho has anti-inflammatory properties—suggesting that the increased α-Klotho levels associated with overwork "might represent a compensatory response to inflammatory stress."
"The increase in Klotho could be a biomarker indicating that the body is engaging in protective mechanisms to mitigate potential damage, particularly in cardiovascular and renal systems, which are highly susceptible to stress-induced injury," Dr. Xiao and coauthors conclude. With further study, α-Klotho may provide a "quantifiable biomarker" to identify employees at risk of overwork-related health issues.
About the Author
Dr. Xiao may be contacted for interviews at xiaoning(at)tgc.edu.cn