Abstract
Purpose: Night shift work is common in the current working environment and is a risk factor for many diseases. The study aimed to explore the relationship between night shift work with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), and the modification effect of circadian dysfunction on it.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese workers. Exposure was measured by night work history and duration. Circadian dysfunction was characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). The diagnosis of CSU was made by dermatologists who were investigating on the spot. The effect size was expressed as odds ratios (ORs).Results: A total of 8,057 participants were recruited, and 7,411 (92%) with complete information were included in the final analyses. The prevalence rates of CSU for workers without night shift and those with night shift history were 0.73 and 1.28%, respectively. Compared with workers who never worked night shifts, the risk of CSU increased with the length of night shift work: OR = 1.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.78–3.06) for duration <5 years and OR = 1.91 (95% CI: 1.12–3.26) for duration ≥5 years. EDS s EDS has been shown to modify this combination. Among workers without EDS, there was no association between night shift and CSU (OR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.49–1.79). Whereas, in participants with EDS, the correlation was significant (OR = 3.58; 95% CI: 1.14–11.20). However, the effect modification by sleep disturbance was not observed.Conclusions: Night shift work is a risk factor for CSU, and there is a dose-response relationship between night shift work hours and the risk of CSU. This connection may be modified by circadian dysfunction.
Highlights
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common allergic skin disorder characterized by wheals or angioedema along with intense itch [1]
The pathophysiology of CSU has not been fully elucidated, but it is clear that the degranulation of mast cells and activation of basophil play the core role in the etiology of urticaria
Comparing the characteristics across the history and duration of night shift work, night shifts were associated with slightly older age, male gender, the Han ethnicity, lower socioeconomic stratum, smoking behavior, more impaired sleep quality, and more symptoms of depression (Table 1)
Summary
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common allergic skin disorder characterized by wheals or angioedema along with intense itch [1]. It is usually self-limited and benign, it can cause severe discomfort, lasting from months to years, and rarely represents a serious systemic disease or lifethreatening allergic reaction [2]. It affects 0.5–1% [1] of the general population, and 0.1–0.3% [3] of children. Previous studies suggest that CSU occurs mostly at night or in the evening with no identifiable triggers, and the severity of cutaneous signs and symptoms is exacerbated between midnight and morning and shows a significant 24-h rhythm [5,6,7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
