The Nocturnal Changes of Plasma Melatonin Concentrations in Night Shift Workers : Comparison of the Clockwise and Counterclockwise Rotational Shift.

야간 근무시의 혈장 멜라토닌의 농도 변화 : 시계 방향과 반시계 방향의 교대근무 비교

To determine the optimal rotational shift system, the effect of the direction of the rotational work shifting on the nocturnal rhythm of plasma melatonin were investigated in nursing students. Two groups of nine volunteers participated as experimental subjects, and two nursing students participated as a control group. The directions of the rotational work shift were as follows: CW(clockwise)-shift were rotated in the direction of day shift(3 days), evening shift(3 days), off duty(1 day) and night shift(5 days), and CCW(conuterclockwise)-shift were done in the reverse direction. Plasma melatonin concentrations was measured by radioimmunoassay. The results were as follows : The plasma melatonin levels were kept low at night and in the following morning in the CW night shift workers, whereas the level started to increase at 05 : 00 hr in two workers of four CCW shift workers. These result suggests that the shift rotation in the CW direction is more acceptable in terms of the adaptation of hormonal rhythms. These results indicate that the CCW rotation of shift work is somewhat better than CCW rotation for the adaptation to shift work on hormonal aspects in nurses.