Abstract

Study Objectives

The association of shift work (SW) and disrupted circadian rhythm with markers of large artery atherosclerosis and cerebral small vessel disease is uncertain. We aimed to study the separate association of current and former SW with these markers.

Methods

We included participants from the population-based Hamburg City Health Study. SW was defined by monthly working hours between 06:00 pm and 07:00 am containing night shifts for at least 12 months. Cross-sectional data were obtained from structured questionnaires, laboratory analyses, physical examinations, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and carotid ultrasound. We performed multivariable regression analysis with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), and peak-width skeletonized mean diffusivity (PSMD) as dependent variables.

Results

Three hundred and forty-four current, 238 former, and 7162 never-shift workers were included. The median age was 60 years for both current and former shift workers, and total duration of SW was comparable for the two groups. Current shift workers were less frequently female (27.3% vs. 44.5%; p < .001), had more frequent hyperlipidemia (31.5% vs. 22.3%; p = .024), and diabetes (16.2% vs. 3.2%; p < .001). After adjustment for age and sex, reduced quality of sleep (β = 1.61, p = .001) and low education (β = 2.63, p < .001) were associated with current but not former SW. Adjusted for age and sex, the current SW was associated with higher CIMT (β = 0.02, p = .001) and PSMD (β = 9.06e-06, p = .006), whereas former SW was not. Adjusted for risk factors, current SW remained associated with PSMD (β = 9.91e-06, p = .006) but not with CIMT.

Conclusions

Current SW was associated with CIMT and with PSMD, with the latter association remaining after adjustment for risk factors. Former SW showed no associations with CIMT or PSMD. This may indicate that current SW is linked with increased neurovascular risk through disrupted circadian rhythms.

Trial Registration Information

The trial was submitted at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, under NCT03934957 on January 4, 2019. The first participant was enrolled in February 2016.

Details

Title

Differences in impact of current and former shift work on cardiovascular risk factors, carotid atherosclerosis, and white matter integrity

Author

David Leander Rimmele¹; Petersen, Elina L²

; Affolderbach, Sarah³; Petersen, Marvin¹

; Cheng, Bastian¹

; Mayer, Carola¹

; Felix Leonard Nägele¹; Harth, Volker³; Terschüren, Claudia³; Kühn, Simone⁴; Zeller, Tanja⁵

; Gerloff, Christian¹; Thomalla, Götz¹

¹ Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany
² Epidemiological Study Center, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany
³ Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg , Germany
⁵ University Center of Cardiovascular Science, University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg , Hamburg , Germany

Publication year

2024

Publication date

2024

Publisher

Oxford University Press

e-ISSN

26325012

Source type

Scholarly Journal

Language of publication

English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1093/sleepadvances/zpae056

ProQuest document ID

3191458876

© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Sleep Research Society. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.