[Effects of sleep deprivation on medical performance of pediatric residents].

Introduction: The performance of medical residents can be adversely affected by sleep deprivation, which happens as a consequence of extended work hours.

Objective: To assess the effects of sleep deprivation on quick reaction, attention, and memory of pediatrics residents after a duty day. POPULATION, MATERIAL AND METHOD: A before and after, descriptive study was conducted. 44 medical residents, distributed in two groups, were included. The first group (23 residents) was subject to two evaluations, one on a non-duty day and then another on an on-duty day. The second group was evaluated only after a duty day and it was used to assess the learning effect. All participants took: a questionnaire including sleep hours, Epworth sleepiness scale, Maslach burnout inventory, Trail making test, PASAT test, digit span, Signoret memory battery and reaction time test. The degree of deterioration in the tests was assessed after an on-duty day.

Results: The average sleep hours on the on-duty day was 3 h. A significant deterioration was evidenced in the visual reaction speed tests. Attention, and memory were not affected after the duty hours.

Conclusion: The speed of reaction is deteriorated by the sleep deprivation experienced by medical residents: