The effect of occupational responsibility and marital status on basal level of plasma ACTH in males

life organs would be effected by different physiological pathways caused by stress.continuous stress could render the body vulnerable to various diseases.in this study the basal level of plasma ACTH was measured as probable indicator of stress in different occupational groups,namely medical and non-medical professionals.the findings indicated that basal level of plasma ACTH was significantly higher in medical professionals (17.4+_3.4pg/ml) compared with non-medical participants(15.1+_3.9pg/ml)(p<0.005) and also between married and numarried groups(p<0.005)(16.7+_3.7,15.4+_3.7pg/ml respectively).after the elemination of intervening factors such as administration of drugs like corticostroids and antidepressants,presence of systemic or endocrine diseases,smoking,alcohism,and stress causing activities,such as being on call at night,the results pointed to the chronic stresses,such as occupatinal stress or marital stress,as the reason for the increase in basal level of plasma ACTH.it is worth noting that this phenomenon can cause other pathologic complications of stress,threrfore further studies about chronic stresses is warranted.