Immunosuppression among anaesthetists
Tests of immunological competence were performed on venous blood samples from 14 anaesthetics and 14 age- and sex-matched control subjects not engaged in anaesthetic practice. There was a significant reduction in the total lymphocyte count, the T-lymphocyte count and the phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) transformation on washed whole blood in the anaesthetists compared with the control subjects. Among the anaesthetists there was no relationship between the reduction in total lymphocyte count and either age or time (in years) engaged in anaesthetic practice. However, there was a highly significantly inverse correlation between PHA transformation and age and time engaged in anaesthetic practice. It is suggested that immunocompetence of anaesthetists may not be normal, and that a large study over the whole working age range is indicated.