This News Release is also available in Italian

MILANO, Italy, 19 January 2007 - DuPont Italy employees  who took part in a company programme in 2001 to beat work-related stress have helped research. After undertaking a medical examination, they completed questionnaires on their lifestyle and perceived stress and attended weekly “back school” relaxation courses. The information collected was used for a study on stress that was recently published in Hypertension, the prestigious journal of the American Heart Association.

Work-related stress may increase heart risk either indirectly, by fostering unhealthy lifestyles, or directly, by affecting the autonomic nervous system and arterial pressure.

Based on this knowledge, Daniela Lucini, company doctor, and Silvano Riva, HR manager at DuPont Italy, with Paolo Pizzinelli and Massimo Pagani of the Department of Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco” of the University of Milan, set up a programme, the results of which were recently published in Hypertension, the prestigious journal of the American Heart Association.

As Daniela Lucini states, “we hypothesized that work-related stress is preceded by alterations in the autonomic nervous system before any signs of disease appear. For this reason, we created a simple stress management programme which included muscular and mental relaxation sessions and cognitive therapy. This led to an improvement in the autonomic nervous system and a reduction in arterial pressure.

The programme began in 2001 and involved 91 employees of a DuPont Italy site, many of whom were affected by a company reorganisation. The employees who took part in the programme undertook a medical examination, completed questionnaires on their lifestyles and perceived stress and attended courses on muscular and mental relaxation which were held weekly during work hours.

All the data collected by Dupont employees anonymously during the one-year programme was then compared with data collected from 79 healthy subjects. Psychological profiles were assessed by very simple questionnaires. The autonomic nervous system was evaluated through spectral analysis of the heart rate variability, a method that involves an extremely simple examination which is similar to an electrocardiogram (ECG).

This non-invasive study has shown us that clinical quantification of work-related stress is possible. Indeed, this is characterised by an increased perception of physical symptoms and alterations in the autonomic nervous system. It also suggests that a programme like the one followed by DuPont Italy employees can be easily implemented in the workplace and offers preventive benefits for hypertension.”

DuPont is a science-based company. Founded in 1802, DuPont uses science to develop sustainable solutions which are essential to a better, safer and healthier life worldwide. Operating in over 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of products and services for a variety of markets including agriculture and nutrition, electronics, communications, safety and protection, home and construction, transportation and clothing.