Relationship between perceived job-stress and glycosylated hemoglobin in white-collar workers

Cesana et al. (1985) have indicated that glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) may be a potential measure of job-stress. To examine this observation further, a questionnaire study on job-stress and health-related behaviors together with measurement of HbAlc and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were conducted for 129 male white-collar workers at a multiphasic health examination. It was found that a total of 102 subjects with the FPG level lower than 110 mg/dl had received no medical treatment; the score of job-dissatisfaction was significantly correlated with their HbAlc level (p less than 0.05). None of possible confounders, i.e., age, job-overload, overtime, number of cigarettes per day, alcohol consumption, obesity and blood tests other than FPG, were significantly correlated with HbAlc; the score of job-dissatisfaction was not significantly correlated with the FPG level. It is indicated that HbAlc may be a sensitive measure of job-dissatisfaction; further studies are needed to clarify psychophysiological mechanisms underlying the effects of job-dissatisfaction on the HbAlc level.