Burnout Syndrome in employees of a University Hospital and its correlation with inflammatory markers

The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of Burnout syndrome (BS) in a representative sample of employees of a hospital service, as well as to analyze the involvement of the inflammatory process with the disease and information related to work characteristics and sociodemographic profile. A sample of 375 professionals composed the study. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS) instrument was used to detect BS. Prevalence of 8.30% was found for BS. Serum levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) and High-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) were significantly increased in participants with BS compared to the control group, suggesting the participation of the neuroinflammatory process in the development of the disease. TNF-α and hs-CRP were also significantly increased in participants prone to BS with P7 profile when compared to the control group. Emotional exhaustion (EE) and professional achievement (PA) dimensions showed significant association with sociodemographic and work characteristics. Studies seeking to elucidate the involvement of the neuroinflammatory process with the development of BS and the understanding of the relationship of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of this disease are crucial for the development of therapeutic planning and effective interventions in the work environment.