Cardio-vascular risk factors according to different profiles of night work and shift work

Abstract

Abstract Background The shift-night work concerns around 17% workers in our modern society with evident need of this type of organisation for productivity and economic reasons for the companies. if the impact of this global organisation pattern on cardiovascular disease or risk factors is more and more documented, it remains unclear which types of rotating or night work are really involved and which are the impact on cardiovascular risk of being exposed currently or in the past to these different types of shift-night work. Purpose To study possible relationships between arterial blood pressure, anthropometric markers, fasting biomarkers, and sleep disturbances, and different exposure profiles of night work and/or shift work. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 65.126 workers aged 18–70 at baseline in the French random population-based Constances cohort. Four exposure groups were defined: (1) workers with current permanent night work, (2) current night shift workers 3x8, (3) day workers with past night and/or shift work, (4) day workers without night and/or shift work during their work history (reference group). Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, socio-economic position, and personal history of ischemic cardiovascular disease (CVD) were performed to assess associations between clinical risk markers for CVD at baseline and these exposure groups. Results Compared with the reference group, current and past night workers had a significant higher risk of obesity (Body Mass Index≥30). Permanent night workers had a significant higher risk of metabolic syndrome, mostly due to abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia (>1.7 mmol/l) and low level of high density lipoprotein. Even if day workers with past night/shift work had no statistically significant over-risk of metabolic syndrome, they presented significantly higher risks for the same three criteria as observed for the permanent night workers. However, only hypertriglyceridemia was significantly more frequent among 3x8 workers. Among current night workers, 3x8 had a higher risk of sleep disturbances while permanent had not. Sleep disturbances over-risk was also observed among day workers with past night/shift work. No over-risk of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, and elevated levels of gamma-glutamyl-transferase was observed among the three groups. Conclusion The results support the need for enhanced cardiovascular follow-up of workers exposed to night and/or shift work. However, it is also necessary to follow regularly and specifically current day workers with a past night and/or shift work history. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): INRS: institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité