Health Assessment in Adolescents Transitioning from High School to University Based on Their Hematological Parameters

Abstract

Background: The transition from high school to university can impair the adaptive potential of adolescents. Objective: To assess the level of adaptation of freshmen to higher education environment based on their blood parameters. Materials and methods: Blood samples were collected from healthy 17-year-old adolescents (n = 50) on the first week at university and then two and six weeks after. The general blood test was accompanied by measurements of protein and protein fractions, immunoglobulins A, M and G, cortisol and testosterone levels. Nonspecific adaptive reactions of the body were assessed by the lymphocyte count. Results: The level of cortisol in the blood was higher or equal to the upper limit of the normal range in 50.0 to 70.0 % of the adolescents at different stages of observation. At the beginning of the study, the lymphocyte count indicated stress in 10.0 % of the students, and 1.5 months after, it demonstrated overactivation of the immune response already in 35.0 % of the freshmen. The levels of albumins and α1-globulins increased while α2 -, β-, and γ-globulins decreased; serum immunoglobulins M increased and immunoglobulins A were below the normal range, indicating impairment of humoral immunity. The compensatory response was manifested by an increased mean corpuscular volume, a decreased amount of hemoglobin in erythrocyte, a low hemoglobin concentration in the cell volume, and a decreased mean platelet volume. High albumin levels in conjunction with changes in red blood demonstrated an electrolyte imbalance, while decreased testosterone levels against the increased cortisol ones showed the prevalence of catabolic processes in the body. Conclusion: Hematological parameters provide objective information about the health status of first-year university students. They are related to previous competitive selection that included evaluation of medical contraindications and physical fitness, examination stress, and adaptation to novel learning conditions, and require timely correction.