Key result
Examination stress increased the proportion of sympathotonic students from 53% during the routine academic period to 74% during the examination period (P<0.05).
Why the study?
The study investigated changes in heart rate variability parameters reflecting cardiovascular regulatory mechanisms among medical students during a routine academic period and an examination session.
Does exam stress alter heart rate variability parameters in healthy medical students?
Observational (n=70)
No
Does exam stress alter heart rate variability parameters in healthy medical students?
Absolute Event Rate: 74% vs 53%
p-value: p=<0.05
Exam stress induces a shift towards sympathetic dominance in the autonomic nervous system of healthy medical students.
Examination stress may promote sympathotonia in students; hypothesis-generating for autonomic-cardiovascular links, requiring prospective confirmation before clinical relevance.
Background: We investigated the changes of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) parameters, which reflect the state of the regulatory mechanisms of cardiovascular system, among medical students during routine academic period and examination session. Methods: The study was conducted in Jan-Feb 2024, at the IHSM in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, among the healthy 70 students (mean age 19.71 ± 1.54 years) from India and Pakistan. For each student, two ECG recordings were performed: one 3 weeks before the exam and one 10-15 minutes after exam. Results: <0.05). Distribution of students showed that on a routine academic period 53% of students belonged to sympathotonic, 14% to vagotonic and 33% to normotonic. During the examination period the number of sympathotonic increased to 74%, but the number of vagotonic and normotonic decreased to 4% and 22% respectively. Conclusion: Each type revealed an individual reaction to exam stress: in the group of vagotonic there was a slight activation of the SNS; in sympathotonic students there was a tension of regulatory mechanisms, leading to depletion of adaptive mechanisms; in the group of normotonic there was a shift in the vegetative balance towards the sympathetic link of ANS.
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Satarkulova et al. (2024) conducted an observational in Healthy medical students (n=70). Examination stress vs. Routine academic period was evaluated on Proportion of students with sympathotonic autonomic balance (p=<0.05). Examination stress increased the proportion of sympathotonic students from 53% during the routine academic period to 74% during the examination period (P<0.05).
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